The Forgotten Memory
by CorneroftheMoon
Summary: Escorted by two policemen and placed in handcuffs, a strange and troubled girl comes to the Sohma house. Who will accept her? More importantly, who will she accept? Who is she to Hatori? And why can her own mother not remember her? MomijiXOC REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One- Shigure's Pov.**_

I was sitting on the porch of the Sohma house, visiting Ayame and Hatori. Hatori was attending to Akito, who had a low fever and a cough. "Poor 'Tori, always having to look over Akito, does he ever go out anymore?" I sighed.

Ayame thought for a moment. "Do you count going to my Yuki's school to check on him when he misses his checkups?" I shook my head. "Then no."

We both sighed at this. And automatically, we began to plan. But what was there for Shigure out there? "A doctor's convention?" Ayame suggested.

"A seahorse convention?" I returned the suggestion, looked at Ayame, and then we burst out laughing.

We didn't even hear his footsteps, but we did hear his voice. "I don't even want to know."

We looked up to see Hatori looking down at us, his black hair falling over his left eyes as usual, wearing his white doctor's jacket, and his suit. "Oh, how about shopping?" Ayame said, his face lighting up.

"Perfect!" I responded, and then we gave each other the thumbs up sign. Hatori rolled his eyes, or really, his eyes, and sat down next to us.

"So how's Akito?" I asked.

Hatori shrugged. "He'll be fine. Miyako* is helping me look after him, and it's just a small cold. I think I'll finally have some time to read." He leaned his head against the door frame.

"Oh no, you are _not _staying in 'Tori dearest. We need to get you something other than suits to wear; you're really a desperate case. Not one of the worst I've seen during the length in my career, but you do make the top ten." Ayame shook his head sadly.

I nodded. "Yes Haa-san! We should get you some nicer clothes, then maybe you could get a date, and then you could get out of the house!" As usual, both Ayame and I were thinking too ahead for the poor doctor.

"My suits are fine, I'm a doctor." He argued.

I was the one to roll my eyes this time. "Doctors should have some style though! When you just appear in a suit that looks set for a funeral, you don't give your patients much hope on their condition." I winked at Aaya, who was grinning, knowing that eventually, he would have to give in if he wanted any peace while we were near.

"Fine." He grumbled, accepting defeat just as I had predicted.

"Yes! Shopping for Tori-san, shopping for Tori-san!" Ayame celebrated, loudly.

Miyako poked her orange, red, and white head out of the door. "Get him some black; he looks good in black, but maybe some tighter shirts, and a nice jacket. Could you also pick up something for Akito? Just some shoes, none bulky combat boots would be great." She begged.

Ayame shot his head towards her. "Shopping for Tori-san _and _Akito! Goodie!" He sang, and we high-fived.

With a good slap to the back of my head, my little sister was gone, no doubt returning to Akito's side.

"Anyways, which shops should we take Haa-san to?" I questioned for many were already popping into mind.

"Well, he has to come to mine of course, and then we can take him to M" But Ayame was cut off when the front gate creaked open.

"Excuse me sirs, is this the Sohma estate?" We turned to see two uniformed men, police officers, standing just inside the gate. Between them was a young girl, I shouldn't say young, she was perhaps Hatsuharu's age, maybe older, no younger.

"Yes, can we help you?" I asked, studying her, mainly because she reminded me of someone, and I was determined to discover who.

She was thin and tall, and had short white hair, her left eyes that I assumed was the dark green was covered by her slanting bangs, just like Hatori's, although; her fashion taste was much more developed than the doctor's. She was wearing a black pleated skirt that came down to her mid-thigh, fishnets covered any exposed leg up until her shoes, soft formed black boots*, the edges flipped over to expose fuzzy white insides. And on her upper half, she wore a tight shirt that revealed some of her palest skin of her stomach, black to go with the rest of her outfit, the outline of a vulture against a full moon. On her wrists, she wore leather studded, and a few electric blue rubber, bracelets. That, and a pair of handcuffs.

"We are looking for Hatori Sohma, we were told that he lives here, is this correct?" The policeman on the right questioned. We all looked at the doctor, who stood up.

"I am Hatori, what can I do for you?" Haa-san asked.

They nodded to each other, and then the one on the left said, "We have come to see if you would be willing to take in Ichi, you're her last family member that can, and may be willing to, or else she'll have to go into social services." Gesturing to the girl in the middle.

Hatori looked puzzled, and the police took note of this, and the one on the right explained.

"This is Ichi Sohma, Kana Sohma's daughter. Her file labels you as her father."

**Author's Note: **Ahh, the suspense!

REVIEW QUESTION: Why is Ichi in handcuffs, be creative? Is she r_eally _Hatori's daughter? What do you think Hatori's reaction will be?

*Miyako Sohma- Shigure's little sister, introduced in my story "Miyako" great read, you should check it out if you haven't already… Miyako is Akito's girlfriend, and lives in the Sohma house, used to live in Shigure's home before she fell in love with Akito. She is the fox of the zodiac, much like Kyo, she is forgotten.

*Soft formed black boots- Uggs


	2. Chapter 2

"_This is Ichi Sohma, Kana Sohma's daughter. Her file labels you as her father."_

_**Chapter Two- Shigure's Pov**_

Ayame and my jaws dropped, right on cue and completely synchronized.

Hatori looked just as stunned, even more so, expected since he was indeed Kana's ex-boyfriend, ex-fiancé at that. I now realized who I saw in Ichi, even with her white hair, pale skin, and glare, it was Hatori and a little bit of Kana, both together.

"Kana has a daughter?" Ayame gasped.

Ichi glared. "Yeah, got a problem with that braid boy?" Ayame shrunk back a little bit. I could tell whoever this girl was, she had a lot of anger inside of her, even _I _could see that, from her first sentence, both of which was saying something.

"Ichi, do not be so rude. You've already scared everyone else off, it's almost like you want to go to social services." The policeman on the left scolded.

"Better than anywhere other damn place I've been to so far." She grumbled, and the policemen glared down at her.

Hatori cleared his throat. "And her mother, Kana, won't take her?"

The policemen shook their heads at the same time. "She claims not to remember, or even know, her own daughter, but we just believe she is in denial, Ichi is a, troubled, child." The police on the right explained, shaking his head sadly.

We all looked at each other, not remembering or knowing her daughter, refusing to accept Ichi into her home, both of those could mean two things. One, Hatori's memory wipe had worked too well, and caused Kana to forget everything remotely connected with the dragon, although I don't see how this could work, because 'Tori was unaware of the girl until a few minutes ago. The second was just as farfetched, but closer. It could be that it was not "forgetting" or not "knowing", but rejection, and rejection happens so much in the Sohma family because of the fact that once both parents hold their child, most change into a different form. Neither were prime cases, so I would keep searching, deeper and deeper.

Hatori looked at the girl, her handcuffs, and then the policemen. In the back of my mind, I was questioning why she was being escorted, and restrained, and for that matter, why she was a "troubled child".

"She can stay here if she wants to." Hatori affirmed.

Both of the policemen looked down to the white haired girl, who looked up at them, and shrugged. "Not particularly." She growled.

"Well, you don't have a choice. Just behave, I don't want to have to arrest you again, understand?" The policeman on the right asked, as he went to find his key for the handcuffs, but it turned out not to be necessary, and the other policeman handed me a black duffel bag, no doubt it belonged to the girl.

Ichi stepped away, and slid the handcuffs off before the either policemen made a move to take them off. Seeing the policemen's shocked faces, she rolled her eyes. "Like it's the first time I've been arrested, I thought you read my record."

Then, after catching the handcuffs and the key, that Ichi had managed to slip out of one of their pockets and unlock her wrists that were tossed to them, the men in uniform retreated, creaking the gate to signify their departure, leaving us with Ichi. For a little while, we just had a staring contest, Ichi looked irritated, angry, and almost icy, actually, very icy. Hatori looked a little stuck, not sure what to do, and I didn't blame him. I simply lounged against the steps, studying the girl and noticing what was given to her from Kana, and what was given to her from Hatori. So far, it was Kana one in a half, the fact that Ichi was female, and the shape of her eyes, the half because her eyes were a sharper than Kana's had been but she had the same eyelashes and distance between eyes and forehead, nose, and eyebrows. Hatori scored five and a half, her hair, her looks, her eye color, her build, her facial shape, and the half because his eyes were sharp like Ichi's, but not in the same place or proportion. And Ayame simply retreated farther away from her, "braid boy" was intimidated by the younger and smaller girl. It would be amusing if we all weren't slightly intimidated by her, to give us credit she had been escorted here by two police who had her in the middle and handcuffed, which she was able to get out of, and she said that it hadn't been the first time she's been arrested.

"Why don't we find you a room?" I suggested, nudging Hatori.

He nodded. "Yes, I think there are a few that are still unoccupied, follow me."

Ichi looked extremely reluctant, but she surrendered and followed the doctor, her father. Just to think, Hatori Sohma had a _daughter._ He was someone's _father._ Just to think.

"So, where did you come from?" I asked, walking next to the girl, who tried to get as far away from the three of us, as far as she could get in the narrow hallway.

"None of your business."

So I tried a different approach. "Well, it was impressive what you did with those handcuffs."

It worked; no rude comment was made, well, not towards me at least. "It's not that hard, cops are idiots."

Suddenly, Momiji darted through the halls; he seemed to do that often, the little rabbit always having so much energy. He came to a halt once he saw Hatori, his view blocked by Ayame to see Ichi.

"Hey Hatori, I've been looking for you!" He grinned happily.

"Hello Momiji." The doctor sighed. This had been the one day that the rabbit hadn't been following him, and he had enjoyed the little peace and quiet. It wasn't that he didn't like Momiji; it was just that sometimes the blonde headed boy had too much energy for the doctor to keep up all the time.

And then, the rabbit caught sight of the still actively steaming Ichi. "Hi! I'm Momiji! Who are you?" He questioned friendlily.

She just looked away, obviously bored, irritated, and maybe a little tired. So I decided to answer. "This is Ichi, she's Hatori's daughter, she'll be staying here. Why don't you come back later when she's rested, and you can give her a tour?"

Ichi's head snapped towards me, and she actually bared her teeth, a feral act. But Momiji answered before she could say anything, which she obviously wanted to. "Sure, that sounds great! I didn't know you had a daughter 'Tori! With Kana? That's so cool! Where's she going to be staying, near you or in that extra room down by Ritzu's quarters?" The rabbit began to bounce happily on the balls of his feet. This only irritated Ichi more, until she finally exploded.

"It's not cool, and if I had a choice, I wouldn't be here in the first place! And stop bouncing you little brat!" She yelled, and Momiji stopped bouncing, but didn't shrink back like Ayame and I did.

"Oh, well, see you soon!" He grinned, and then darted off.

The way he was able to maintain his happiness even when Ichi exploded at him, not only amazed the three of us, but obviously unnerved the white haired girl, who's green eyes followed the shape of the quickly retreating bunny.

Then, she glared at me. If looks could kill, I would be dead about sixteen times by now, we all would be.

"Come on, this way." Hatori said, walking down the hall, and across from his own quarters, he opened a sliding door. This would be Ichi's new home, wither she liked it or not. And I think she finally understood this I noted, as she yanked her duffel bag violently from my hands, and then slammed the door closed behind her.

**Author's Note: **O_o what do you guys think? I have a huge science test coming up, and a French test, so I have a lot to do, forgive me if some of these chapters are rather short (short in my book is 899 words- 999 words) hopefully, I will have enough time ;) please review!

_**REVIEW QUESTION**_: What do you think was on her record? Do you think she will ever let anyone in, and if so, who do you think will be the first to be let in? Who else will then be let in?

-Echo Salazar

PS: Review please, me loves them soooo much!


	3. Chapter 3

"_Come on, this way." Hatori said, walking down the hall, and across from his own quarters, he opened a sliding door. This would be Ichi's new home, wither she liked it or not. And I think she finally understood this I noted, as she yanked her duffel bag violently from my hands, and then slammed the door closed behind her._

_**Chapter Three- Hatori's Pov**_

For some reason, probably because the fact that I had a daughter wasn't completely sunken into my brain just yet, I remained calm, normal. Or really as calm and normal anyone who just had a daughter show up on their doorstep, brought by two cops, could be.

Maybe the reason that I was this way was because this isn't the worst or the strangest thing that could've and has happened to me and the rest of the Sohma's. Sure it was somewhat depressing that Kana hadn't told me that she had a child, by me, and now that child was probably around fourteen years old, that's fourteen years that I hadn't seen her, that I hadn't know her.

I sighed, tearing my eyes away from the picture of Kana, the only thing that decorated the otherwise sterile and barren room. There was knock at the door. "Come in." I called.

Shigure poked his head into the room, and I sighed. "What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing, just thought you might want to talk. If you don't want to talk to me, I'm sure Ayame would be happy to, I don't even know what I'm doing here, of course you want to talk to Aaya, I'll get him." He sniffled, playing the guilt game. And it worked every time, he knew it.

"Fine Shigure." He happily skipped into my office, and sat down against the wall leading out to the garden.

We sat in silence for a while, and then the dog gave a light laugh. "You've got your hands full."

I grunted in agreement. That was one thing I was certain that Ichi was going to be, a hand full. Already she was expressing so much pent up anger, and some that was not so pent up. I had to admit that I could not see even one part of Kana inside her, or on the outside of her. Kana was always so, so happy, the sun seemed to shine just down upon her, making her my light out of any darkness that I might encounter. But of course she was gone now. And all that Ichi seemed to give out was darkness, coldness.

But perhaps I was making a judgment too quickly. If Ichi was in fact Kana's daughter, there was some goodness in her. I couldn't say that I could give her any goodness; in fact, I might have given her all the darkness that surrounded her.

"What do you think is on her record?" Shigure interrupted. By his tone, I could sense that it had caused him much thought. I had to give a small smile at my friend, he was never taken down, his mind always working, his more mature part dealing with the most important things, and then his childlike mind was left to wander and fasten onto the little things.

"I don't know Shigure, why don't you ask her?" He flinched at the thought, although she was willing to talk to him about getting out of the handcuffs, maybe she would talk to him about her record. I was her father, so I had a right to be more than slightly concerned.

We spent the next hour just talking, reflecting back on Kana, working our way up to the present, and finally settling on Ichi, if we were going to put her in school, if he thought she would be happy enough here, if she would make any friends, all difficult to answer with the little information we had about her, with the little we knew about her personality. And finally, we decided to just let Momiji show her around, and then go from there.

Maybe Momiji, since he didn't seem to show much fear around her, would be able to control her, to befriend her, and they are around the same age as well, that was promising, except for the fact that as soon as Ichi met Momiji she was irritated by his happiness and energy.

As if on cue, the blonde curls that belonged to the boy appeared in the door, followed by his face. "Hey 'Tori! Is Ichi ready?"

I looked to Shigure, who shrugged. "Let's go check."

We walked across the hall, the three of us, and Momiji rapped on the door, making a song out of the knocking. "You're going to lose that hand if you keep doing that idiot!" Ichi's voice yelled from inside. And I wouldn't doubt that she meant it. But still, Momiji kept knocking, until Ichi threw the door open, a murderous glint in her eyes. She grabbed the little rabbit by the collar of his ruffled shirt.

"You _really _don't want to irritate me today, or any day, got it munchkin? Otherwise, you're going to have to become left handed." She whispered to Momiji.

"Already am!" He grinned happily, causing her to growl and grip him tighter.

"Then I'll cut the other one off!" She yelled.

She had changed her clothing, now she was in a shirt that rounded at the bottom, and had chains dropping down all over it, black. It was long enough to reach over the back pockets of her skin tight black jeans, but she still had the same boots on, as well as her hair was stylized in the same manner. Something made me believe that she never changed the way her white hair was ordered.

"Well then come on! I want to show you around!" Momiji grinned, and grabbed Ichi by her wrist, and began to drag her down the hall, but she ripped herself away.

"One, don't _touch_ me again. Two, don't _drag_ me anywhere again. Three, I don't _want _to be shown around, so leave me the hell alone!"

And then she went back into her room, shutting the door hard behind her. Momiji merely grinned, and began to knock once more. "Damn you!" We heard her yell.

**Author's Note: **Yay, Momiji! Yay, Ichi! Yay, Shigure! Yay, Hatori! (In other words, Yay everybody!)

REVIEW QUESTION: Is Momiji going too far, will they become friends? What do you think about Ichi from what you know about her so far?


	4. Chapter 4

_And then she went back into her room, shutting the door hard behind her. Momiji merely grinned, and began to knock once more. "Damn you!" We heard her yell._

_**Chapter Four- Omniscient Pov**_

The young boy dragged the white haired girl along through the hallways, to her immense annoyance and dislike. The girl, Ichi, had never been one for physical contact, for the two reasons that one, she was rarely touched, even by her own family, and for the second, whenever she was touched, bad things came out of the situation.

"This is my quarters! Come in and see, do you like the violin?" Momiji opened the door and they went inside, Ichi still rather reluctantly, but not as much, she had accepted the fact that the more she cooperated, the sooner it would be over.

"No." She responded, determined to see if she could break the curly haired boy's happy mood. Unfortunately, it didn't, and he continued to show her the instrument that he put so much time into every day. Even Ichi had to admit that he was talented with it, but she would never say that out loud, or even admit it to her own self.

Only one thing caught her eye, it was a picture frame. Inside, was a picture of a beautiful blonde haired woman, delicate and graceful looking, with gentle eyes and full lips, an image of basic perfection. Ichi looked at it closer, catching Momiji's attention.

"Oh, that's my mom, isn't she pretty?" He smiled, picking it up and handing it over to Ichi, who took it, breaking her uninterested mood, to which Momiji smiled victoriously.

"Yeah, she's alright." Ichi shrugged, then handing it quickly back to the rabbit.

"Kana was pretty too." Momiji had meant it as a compliment, but Ichi immediately went ridged, her face had anger so deeply etched into it, even the rabbit hadn't seen it even on Akito.

"_Kana"_ she spit out "is a spoiled, ugly bitch. She cares about nobody but herself, not even her own family. Everything she damn wants her new _darling _husband gets for her. She only pities herself, making her own life so dramatic when all she does is sit at home groaning about how unfair life is. She isn't strong, she didn't even remember me when I left, didn't remember me when the police attempted to bring me back home on so many occasions. So don't talk to me about how _pretty _she is, don't talk to me about her at all. What would you know anyways you little runt?" She ranted, yelling, feeling as if she needed to punch something, to destroy anything, a feeling that had followed her throughout her young life.

Momiji still didn't back up as so many do whenever she was this angry, but he did abandon his smile. Picking up the picture frame again, he pointed to his mother. "I see her, I remember her, I see my sister, I remember her, but neither remembers me as a son or a brother. I'm just the child who likes to play the violin, and help clean the floors with cleaning ladies. That's all I am, I live here alone, I don't even see my father, and when I do, it's never just a visit. So see, I know what you feel, maybe not all of it, but enough so that if you want to talk, I can understand better than Hatori, or Aaya, or especially 'Gure." He gave a hopeful smile, hoping, that he got through to the girl.

She looked over at him, her green eye studying him hard. "Why doesn't your mother remember you?"

Momiji grinned on the inside, he had gotten her to ask a question, to talk to him and it was a step in the right direction. "She rejected me with her entire body, her entire mind, until to a point where she was so hysterical that her son, as soon as she held him in her arms, turned into an animal, so my father decided to have Hatori represses her memories, to spare her."

And then harshness came out of her voice. "There's another difference, it wasn't Hatori that suppressed my mother's memories of me." She smiled bitterly. "I only wish it had been."

Then, Ichi was gone. But Momiji was satisfied, he had learned three very important things from the short conversation.

One, Ichi was bitter about her mother, very much so. This could give them something to talk about, a common ground to meet on. Hopefully, using this as an excuse for her to open up to him, Momiji could get her to become his friend.

Two, Ichi already knew about the zodiac curse, it was apparent from the way she lacked reaction to his carefully planned words, mentioning that he had turned into an animal as soon as his mother had held him, that Hatori was able to suppress memories.

Three, there was something that ran even deeper in Ichi, something that was the root of her problems, and inside, Momiji was sure that it had something to do with the fact that her mother couldn't remember her, and that it hadn't been Hatori who prohibited Kana from acknowledging Ichi.

Back in her room, Ichi felt the walls begin to close in on her, and it really occurred to her, that this place was more a prison to her than a home, it was worse than if the police had arrested her, and charged her for what she did. But the police never seemed to want to take her into custody for more than a few hours, until they could dump her back with some sort of family. Even though she tried, they wouldn't let her suffer in a cage, they wouldn't let her punish herself, and all she wanted was to level her wrongs, balance the scales of her life, and make right the horrible wrong that she committed. She wanted to be brought to justice, and nobody would let her do that. That's all she ever wanted to do, punish herself. Her feelings, unbeknownst to her, were much like Hatori's feelings that taking Kana away from him was the world's way of punishing him for taking away ever so precious memories.

And right then, she felt her heart ice over again, any hole that Momiji had managed to chip into the hard water formation that covered the red life-giving organ, was gone. He would have to start again, but little did Ichi know, he was fully prepared to do so.

**Author's Note: **Hello everybody, what did you think? Was this chapter good? I hope so, I think I opened up some questions, got a good start to the story. I have a huge French test and a huge science test today, so next author's note I'll tell you how it went (a day in the future: I FAILED!) just kidding :D (not really). REVIEW!

REVIEW QUESTION OF THE DAY: Who wiped Kana's memories? What wrong did Ichi commit that she wants to be punished for so badly?

REVIEW!

-Echo Salazar


	5. Chapter 5

_And right then, she felt her heart ice over again, any hole that Momiji had managed to chip into the hard water formation that covered the red life-giving organ, was gone. He would have to start again, but little did Ichi know, he was fully prepared to do so._

_**Chapter Five- Ichi's Pov**_

Lying down on my bed, I closed my eyes, and attempted to drift off into sleep. It was difficult, mainly because of how irritated Momiji had managed to get me. Although, even I had to admit, getting me admitted wasn't very hard. But luckily, sleep finally came to me, or perhaps it was just another unlucky thing, my life was full of those.

_I was dressed in a dark blue satin ball gown, watching as my mother kissed the man she now loved, the man I hated. Back then, I had only thought of myself as a drunken mistake, because that was all Kana, my own mother, could think of, the only reason she could think that I could possibly be alive. Now, I knew that I wasn't just that, but it still changed very little._

_Kana was dressed in a long white kimono, with a red train resting on the floor behind her. Her fiancé, or I suppose he was now her husband, was wearing a plain kimono, without decoration, but it was made of fine material, he assumed the price tag would make up for the lack of enthusiasm._

_I gave a bored yawn as the after wedding party was occurring. I had been able to avoid my mother, and my step-father, the very word made me shiver, and snuck away to change into some normal clothes that I had hidden previously. Now instead of the fancy dress I was dressed in ratty tight black jeans, and a one shoulder black shirt with an American band, Avenged Seven-Fold, decorating it. On my feet, replacing uncomfortably tight blue high-heeled shoes, I wore black platform combat boots. Much better, I didn't even care about the disgusted looks that were thrown my way, where I was lounging on a bench in the garden._

_I also didn't care when the newly married couple drove away, not even bothering to say goodbye to either of them, not bothering to see them drive away to their honeymoon._

_Three years later, I was just as uncaring. But I wasn't unbothered, in two ways. My new step-father bothered me. And he made it so that I couldn't simply forget about him, about my new little sister._

_I was sitting at my desk, working through math homework. Although I always knew the answers, always knew how to do it, I got the answers wrong, on purpose of course. Not only did it frustrate my teachers, but also my "family". Like either of them cared, the very thought was funny. I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the front door slam. Ah, _father dearest _was home, terrific. I looked towards my door, just to double check that it was locked. Not that the small attempt stopped him, but it made it more amusing for me, to hear him, and see him, struggle. It was a reminder that he was weaker than me, that I would always be able to do something to him, one thing or another._

"_Ichi, get down here right this second!" I heard him yell._

_I rolled my eyes, not moving an inch, and continuing with my "homework". I heard him yell a couple more times, his words slurring together. Great, he was drunk too, perfect combination._

_I heard him jiggle the door, and decided I didn't want to deal with whatever crap he was on about. So I slid the window open, and began to crawl out, abandoning my math, almost reluctantly, it was something that I enjoyed, to purposely fail. I guess it made me feel like I had a little control over a small part of my life, no matter how small._

_But before I could get my boot clad foot onto the roof, I was yanked violently back inside. He was strong, stronger than I remembered; sake seemed to always do that to him. "And where do you think you're going darling?" He growled._

"_Out." I responded, challenging him, like I always did. He glared at me, and I felt a stinging, always a stinging, across my cheek._

_He lowered his hand. "Don't speak to me like that, speak to me with respect little brat."_

_I looked at his cold eyes. "Out, _sir_." I dragged out the last word sarcastically._

_Next thing I knew, I slammed into the wall, my shoulder blade leaving a small dent, nothing compared to the many that already decorated the blue painted walls, the baby blue prison that I ironically call home._

"_Drop that tone!" He screamed at me, punching me hard in the stomach. I felt a crack, there goes a rib. Oh well, that was nothing, nothing at all._

_I shoved him back, but it fazed him very little, as I expected. There wasn't much to do, but to bear it. It's not like it mattered, I had let my heart close, all emotion had been removed, the moment my mother had said "I do"._

"_Listen you little annoying bitch. You will respect me, you will do what I say, you will not disobey me in _any _way, do you understand?"_

_I didn't reply, and that earned me a punch, in the face this time. It hit my right eye, the eye I revealed to the world, never the left, never would the left be uncovered. But the hit would only leave me with a bruise, not the worst thing that's ever happened to my face, it's not like the bruising couldn't be covered with make-up._

_After a few more well placed punches, and a couple kicks, I was down on the ground, panting out painful breaths. And then, he left, left me to suffer on the dirty old carpet that was already stained with blood from before, as were the walls. Somehow, Kana always managed to miss these things, the dents, the blood, the holes, the bruises, the broken bones, the wounds, whatever, it didn't matter. She would only see her perfect husband, who was such a good person, for marrying her even with a daughter like me. Besides, she had more important things, like her darling baby girl. Ironically enough, a little two year old, was the only one who noticed me, who noticed the damage. She would wobble over to me, when I was babysitting her, and she would gently trace the bruises that she couldn't see. She just, knew._

_She soon became my world, little Hami. She was the one that loved me that I loved, that I gave the key to the lock on my heart._

_But no good things could last forever._

_The dream changed scenes, from the dirty carpet, to a carpet of green grass, grass the embraced a pearly new white tombstone, my tears watering it, keeping it fresh, healthy, long, and green. It thrived on tears._

"_Hami Mujiko"_

_Even the stone didn't do her name justice._


	6. Chapter 6

_Even the stone didn't do her name justice._

_**Chapter Six- Momiji's Pov**_

The sun wasn't even poking its rays into the dark sky, but like most rabbits, I was already up. I liked this time; it was when I had time to myself, when I could wander throughout the Sohma house in the quite ease of the early morning.

It had been nearly a week since Ichi showed up, and I'd barely managed to see her, or get her out of her room. She didn't seem bothered when I persistently knocked on the door, nor did she make any effort to yell at Hatori when he asked her if she was going to eat dinner with us.

All she did was somehow manage to lock the door, and close the windows, so that we couldn't get in. When I did manage to get a glimpse of her, was when she came out of her room, to either wander around, or to take a shower, or something like that. And that was only in the dead of night.

Eventually, I came to Hatori's door. Instead of going inside, because he was one of the few people that were in fact, awake at this hour, I turned, and decided to try the door behind me. To my amazement, it was open, unlocked, Ichi must've forgotten.

So happily, and quietly, I slipped through the door, and into the room. First, came the living room, the connecting room was blocked by a shut door. Upon inspection, I found that some things had changed. Obviously, somehow, Miyako had been able to slip some framed photos onto the previously empty and barren minty green walls. And they complimented the room nicely.

Also, there had been a small package of bean cakes left on the table, as well as some Chinese dumplings, no doubt they had been given to Ichi, or she had snuck them out of the kitchen, either was entirely possible.

Her small duffel bag, empty, was flung into the corner. Actually, a lot of things were flung into the corner, and other corners, and many things littered the floor in random patterns. Pillows, blankets, clothes, packages, small figurines, and even some books, were lying around the living room. I wondered why.

Quietly, I moved further, towards the yet unopened bedroom door. At first, before my hand reached the door, I wondered what I would find behind the paper walls.

Would I find more distruction like I found here?

Would I find the same pictures?

My curiosity getting the better of me, I slid the door open, and was taken aback by what I saw.

Not because it was horrific, or anything as negative as that, but because it was so, well, the opposite of horrific.

Everything, every pillow, blanket, even every pen and piece of paper that lay on the desk, was in order. Drawers that belonged to the dresser were sealed shut, not a slightest hint of a pinched fabric exposed. On top of that, was a small picture of a little girl, dressed in a white dress, with blonde hair that whipped around her. She was with a younger version of Ichi, yet still, the white haired girl had her hair covering her left eye. I guess even in her youth that was her custom.

A pair of tall knee high black combat boots, made tall with platform soles, were ordered neatly in the far corner, next to the dresser.

And then, in the right farthest corner, was a sunken bed.

Draped with blue silk blankets, was a black futon. And on that futon, was a still sleeping Ichi.

Even in her sleep, her hair fell naturally over her left eye. I doubted that it ever did reveal the other of the pair.

Her pale arms twined between the sheets, her calf sticking out from underneath. She looked warm, but comfortably so, as she was only dressed in simple tank top and shorts.

This was the only time I saw her peaceful, while she slept.

Ichi's very face, her pale, beautiful features, they were relaxed, angelic. Her white hair flicked into it, making the somewhat sharp, but fitting appearance, softened. Her eyes, or eye, was shut, her long black eyelashes dusting along her cheeks. If I hadn't know her, if I hadn't seen the anger, the destroyed room outside, I would think that nothing troubled the girl, that she was one of those perfect angelic girls, who came from the perfect family, who lived a perfect life.

Perhaps we all appeared that way to the outside world, perfect. Little did they know that we were, in many ways, much too many, were nowhere near that. We were in fact so far away, none of us could even guess what it would feel like, and not even I could. Despite my happy appearance, I felt as strongly as Ichi. I didn't have the same feelings, while hers were of anger, mine were simply of sadness. While she exhibited her feelings, I kept mine hidden, tucked away.

Maybe she was luckier than us; maybe she was just slightly more perfect than all of us together. Very few of us were in fact able to show any emotion or the ones we did show often just acted as a veil, an illusion, to fool anybody, and everybody. Sometimes, I felt as though I still didn't know any of my friends and family as well as I thought I did, not even Tohru.

As the sun began to filter through the thin paper windows, I decided that it was the time to make a retreat, and I left Ichi alone.


	7. Chapter 7

_As the sun began to filter through the thin paper windows, I decided that it was the time to make a retreat, and I left Ichi alone._

_**Chapter Seven- Ichi's Pov**_

I opened my eyes sleepily. It was too early for me to be up, in other words, it was a couple hours before eleven. I hated waking up early, I hated waking up with the sun, mainly because I hated the sun, but also because I enjoyed the night much more than the day.

I threw the covers off of my body, and rubbed my eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them, or at least the right one anyways. I got up and walked to the chest of drawers, picking up the brush that rested on top, and brushed my hair, arranging it perfectly, without even a glance in the reflective glass, it wasn't necessary. I had become so accustomed to the same hair style, the same look every day, that it just wasn't one of the things, glancing into a reflective surface, that I needed to do, like so many other people.

Then, I changed into a pair of very short black jean shorts, a black tank top with spaghetti straps, and then put on my knee high boots. Then, I walked out into my living room. A girl, Miyako, had been the only one I allowed inside over the last week, she wanted to hang some of her photos on my walls, which I permitted, I had nothing better to do, and I didn't want to make an enemy out of her, I liked her.

And then, the knocking that annoyed me so much had now begun. "Momiji, go away!" I growled.

But he hopped happily in, and smiled. I must've forgotten to lock the door. "What do you want runt?" I growled, glaring at him from under my white hair.

He smiled widely at me. "Nothing, I just thought you might want to go somewhere today."

Momiji was, it was hard to admit it, right. I was sick of being cooped up in this house, in this room. I wanted to get out, and explore, see the sights, get some good food. I didn't particularly want to go with him, the annoying little blonde boy, but it didn't look like I had much of a choice. He was the only one offering, and I doubted I could escape, I had occasionally scouted the house for an escape way, but found that there was always, someone, waiting, somewhere, around every corner. I wondered to myself, how many people were actually here, living in the same house, the same close quarters.

"Let's go!" He grinned, and pulled me out of the door.

He raced through the garden, and out the gate, and I had to follow at that pace as well because he refused to let go of my hand. My boots clumped on the sidewalk as we ran, I of course struggling, but the boy was much stronger than he originally had appeared, and eventually, out of common sense, I gave in, allowing myself to be dragged along. And soon enough, we entered the busy streets, piled high with all sorts of shops, vendors, and restaurants.

Everywhere, there were people, there were animals, there were colors, there were lights, everything was so, alive. Aliveness wasn't something I was accustomed to. It always seemed that this dreary sort of air followed me around, dragging me down, it was all I could do not to fall into the blackness, to carry on, knowing that if I didn't, that if I did let myself fall into the dark, I would never find myself afterwards.

"Come on, this way!" Momiji sung as he led me through the crowd, both of us slipping through the mob easily, both of us being thin, and tall. He was even an inch taller than me, not a claim many people can make.

We emerged into a less busy part of town, near a tall Buddhist temple, the decorated tip of the center dome casting a shadow across the other shops and homes that bordered it. We sat down on the bench, underneath a blooming cherry blossom tree.

"So, what do you think?" He asked me. I glared at him. Even if I did enjoy this, I wouldn't tell him.

He seemed to understand this, surprisingly, and didn't ask anything else. He simply leaned back, putting his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes, allowing the warming morning light to sink through his shirt.

Today, he was wearing a collared shirt, with a blue sweater pulled over it, and some bubble like shorts. To top it all off, literally, he wore a blue hat, he always wore a hat it seemed, at least outside he did. So much color, it almost balanced out my lack of it. But not quite. It always seems that the lack of something always overpowers the presence of most things. Funny how life always works that way.

I looked at him again, and then, an idea crossed my mind. I grinned to myself, and moved forwards slightly. His eyes remained shut, a smile still plastered across his face. Then, slowly and with extreme quietness, I got up, and then, darted from the garden. With a glance behind me, I saw that Momiji still remained motionless.

Finally, I was free.

**Author's Note: **I'm back, and I'm back to stay! I missed Fruits Basket so much, I don't think I'm meant for anything else! Anyways, review please! I'm so, so, so glad to be back, and you're going to love where this is going! Promise :D! REVIEW!


	8. Chapter 8

_Finally, I was free._

_**Chapter Eight- Momiji's Pov**_

As soon as Ichi moved, I caught it motion. My eyes never had closed, not completely, just enough to see fuzzy outlines, but not enough to anyone to notice they were indeed opened.

Ichi obviously couldn't tell, and so, without a hesitation, she got up, and ran out of the garden, quietly, not even her boots could've alerted me if I had indeed had my eyes closed. But I didn't move to follow her.

You see, this was my intentions the entire time. Ichi needed some time, not only away from the Sohma house, but away from everyone. I couldn't think of a better way to allow her to do that, she would become suspicious if I had offered her some time out to herself, and therefore either wouldn't have gone, or would've been constantly been looking over her shoulder and not having a good time.

So, I let her go. But as soon as she turned the corner, I got up from my seat, brushed myself off, and leisurely followed, skipping along happily, sometimes stopping to look at a couple things vendors had laid out on the sidewalks of the shopping area right outside the temple we had come out of.

She of course didn't see me, I was short, and easily got swallowed up by the crowd. Usually, my height somewhat bothered me, that I was so short compared to, Hatsuharu, or others my age. But other times, it was a great advantage to me, so I didn't let myself become too annoyed. I never let myself become too annoyed at anything really, or at least, not visibly.

Ichi was walking quickly, so I had to watch carefully in order not to lose her. Not only that, but she seemed to know exactly where she was going, exactly where she wanted to go. I had expected her to stop at a few of the stores, perhaps buy herself some jewelry, but she didn't. She just kept pushing her way through the crowd, well, not exactly pushing, for she didn't have to. The sea of people split for the girl clad in black, as if they were repelled by her.

We ended up at a train station, and Ichi, without buying a ticket, managed to slip through the gates, and onto the nearest train. I had a feeling that she hadn't picked the first train she saw though, it must've been a coincidence that the one she needed was waiting there, right there for her. And for me. I boarded on the next car, so she wouldn't notice me in the cramped area the train provided for its passengers.

At each stop, I looked out the window, just to make sure I didn't see Ichi, so that I didn't end up at another station, far away from the Sohma girl. Luckily, after about six stops, I was able to see Ichi's black clothing moving through the crowd, and slipped out of the car just as the doors closed behind me.

We were in a small market area; I hadn't been here much, trying to stay next to where most of the people were. This place was usually empty except for the occasional wandering cat or vendor.

Ichi's boots clicked down the asphalt as she hurriedly walked, and then, she stopped. Ichi had come to a halt right outside a flower store, why? She didn't seem one for flowers, at all.

But as soon as I got close enough to see in, I had to duck away, as she was coming out again, waving to the man at the counter in an oddly familiar matter.

And then, she was off again, walking quickly, emerging in and out of busy streets, where I ducked between people while the crowd simply parted for Ichi. She had that effect, even on me, when you were just instantly repelled from an aura she radiated, a black smoke pushing everyone away. And I knew, that was just what she wanted. She didn't want to be close to anyone, for one reason or another. She didn't want people to accept her, didn't want them to like her. She wanted to be left alone.

I also knew that it was my job, to change that. It was my duty to help her, to get her to allow me close, to find out why she was so, closed off to the world. And I swore, upon all the Zodiacs, that I would.

Very suddenly, Ichi veered off the road, and crossed a bridge that led to a thin sidewalk that winded up a lush green hill, spotted with the occasional house or shop. I followed silently, making sure to have a good distance between us.

By the time I reached the level part of the hill, Ichi was far ahead of me. She was moving much faster than ever before. I had to run to keep up.

The sidewalk had turned into a road, and that road led to somewhere that only Ichi would've gone to when she had her time off. It was the most depressing of places, the most silent, the most thought invoking, and the most solemn.

The tall tombstones of the cemetery rose in unevenness, grass covering the ground peacefully. Ichi stopped at the gate, looking up at the sign, then, with a heavy step, she walked into the place of final rest.

AUTHORS NOTE *VERY IMPORTANT!*: hello readers! I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, so, sorry that I haven't updated in sooooo long! I feel awful! I had to finish school up, and now that it's pretty much over, I will make the chapters up! I promise! Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

_The tall tombstones of the cemetery rose in unevenness, grass covering the ground peacefully. Ichi stopped at the gate, looking up at the sign, then, with a heavy step, she walked into the place of final rest._

_**Chapter Nine- Ichi's Pov**_

I was kneeling at the bottom of that headstone, smooth, white, relatively new. It was the place that I felt the most sadness, the most heartbreak, the place that I felt like everything, life, was hopeless.

This was the place that haunted me, my thoughts, my dreams, my mind. The grass that any other would think was warming, long, luscious, was cold, dreary, imprisoning. I hated this place more than anything I have hated, more than my past, more than my life.

The stone that sat in front of me, leering at me from behind a bundle of grass, challenging to change what it represented, but I couldn't, I never could. That was the painful reality.

What was on the stone was simple, but it made my insides turn, it made my stomach flutter, reminding me, of everything.

_Hami Mujiko_

_May 23, 2005- June 1, 2010_

_Beloved Daughter_

_May She Rest in Peace_

"Beloved Daughter" the words made me cringe. They didn't even add "Beloved Sister" why would they? They couldn't even remember my dear Hami even had one. Well, one of them could. But that was less important, Hami was the only one I cared about, even now.

"Hello Hami." I whispered, laying down the small flower, adding a sudden flare of color to such a barren white wasteland. It was a daisy, her favorite flower. Whenever we would go out on walks, to get away from home, we would stop at that little flower shop, and the owner would give her a daisy, free. In fact, even after she, left, he still gave me free flowers, as I came in every month.

I removed the old flower that had crumpled from lack of sufficient water. As I picked it up, some of the petal fell to the ground, but instead of picking them up, I left them. It fit the setting better. "How are you?" I whispered to the stone again.

Of course, there was no response, but that was alright. Hami was the one person I could talk to in life, the one person I trusted, and now, I wasn't going to let that pass me. I needed her, I needed her to listen.

"I found him, my dad. His name is Hatori Sohma, he's a doctor. Well, the family doctor anyways. And he's the dragon of the zodiac." I leaned my back up against the stone, sitting over where Hami would no doubt be, buried six feet underneath. I closed my eyes, the sun shining down on me as I spoke. "He's alright I guess, I don't want to be there, but I don't have a choice anymore. And it's not just him in the house, there's the entire Sohma family, or at least most of them."

I sighed, remembering one Sohma member in particular. "One of them, Momiji, has been following me around, for a week. He's just so, so, annoying. He's hyper, he's funny, he's happy, and he never gives up, on anything. He wants to get to know me, but I don't think he understands that I don't _want _to get close to anyone, that I won't _allow _anyone to get close. I wish he would just give up already."

But I wasn't sure if I actually _did _want him to stop trying.

Momiji reminded me, a lot, of Hami. Always happy, always smiling, and just having a sense of knowing, knowing that something was wrong. Momiji was the one that I believed could possibly get the closest to me. Not as close as Hami had gotten, but close.

"Maybe I just need to give him a chance." I whispered. Maybe, I just needed to give me a chance too.

I could almost see her smiling face, as I made this realization. Perhaps, that was just what she wanted, wherever she was; me to be happy, to recover, to let someone, just one, in to my world. And maybe, just maybe, I would.

With a heavy sigh, I got up, brushed off my clothes, and plodded away from the white tombstone. Away from my little sister, away from the place I hated, the person that I loved.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this chapter was short, I'll write more later. And also, sorry that I didn't get a chance to update sooner, I thought I would be able to, but I got a surprise. A surprise in the form of a small puppy for my birthday by my parents, her name is Hestia (after the Greek goddess) :). Anyways, love you all, and please review!


	10. Chapter 10

_With a heavy sigh, I got up, brushed off my clothes, and plodded away from the white tombstone. Away from my little sister, away from the place I hated, the person that I loved._

_**Chapter Ten- Momiji's Pov**_

By the time I got home, after following Ichi the way we had come, although she completely bypassed the temple, leaving me to "sleep", Hatori and Shigure were outside on the front steps. I'm sure she was hoping that I was going to "sleep" there for a little longer, leaving her alone.

"Hey 'Gure-san, back again so soon?" I smiled cheerfully.

He grinned back. "Kyo and Yuki have been having more conflicts; I decided to wait until the destruction is over, before I go back to my beloved house." He sighed heavily. The poor inu, I was sure his house being destroyed was a heavy weight on his shoulders.

Dogs were traditionally very protective of their territory, in this case it was Shigure's house, and since the cat and rat were forever fighting, it was quite difficult for the dog to go through. But Shigure suffered through, not silently, but he managed.

I looked to Hatori, who nodded towards the main house. "She's in there. She came home about, maybe ten minutes ago." He said.

I smiled, and raced inside, Shigure chuckling behind me. It was only seconds until I was able to locate Ichi, leaning up against the sides of a door, that slide open to look onto a beautiful peaceful courtyard, like the many that decorated the Sohma house.

"Hey!" I grinned, and she startled to a glare.

With menace dripping from her voice, she asked "What do you want runt?".

I was, by now, used to her venom, but this was, darker, icier, than I had ever heard her voice. Something had been in that cemetery that really had upset the black-clad girl. I wasn't able to get a good look at the stone, but whoever it was, they were special to Ichi, she had left that flower, and removed the other flower that looked exact in type and appearance. I was determined, not only to discover who it was, but to also cheer Ichi up.

"Nothing! I was just wondering where you went, I must've dozed off."

She turned her glare from me, and out to the garden. "Nowhere brat. Now go away and leave me alone."

"This is my house just as much as it is yours. I have the right to be here, with you." I smiled. I had to try, even if that was by irritating her, to get her to let me in, to any emotion. Anger would even do, I expected no more, but I expected no less.

"This isn't the time Momiji." She growled.

This caught me off guard. She never used my name; she just referred to me as "brat", "runt", or other such names. So the fact that Ichi just called me "Momiji", that really hit me like a ton of bricks. Something was really wrong.

I stood in silence, trying to think of what to do. "Come on, I want to take you somewhere." I gestured for her to follow me.

She glared, and didn't move. "Again? Yeah, I don't think so."

But I just dragged her by her wrist, an action so uncharacteristic for me. I dragged her out of the house, onto the grass, and up a hill, through the clusters of trees I used to hide in with all the other children when I had been younger, until I finally reached the destination I had in my mind.

The view looked down on the Sohma property, the beautiful courtyards, the peaks of the roofs that the zodiacs hid under, the trees that clumped together across the grassy land. The sun was just setting, spreading an orange glow across the sky, mixing with blues, yellows, and purples to the ends of the earth, like water color seeping out in unexpected ways, never following a pattern, which made the action of watching a sunset so enjoyable. It was the fact that you would never see the same sunset twice. Whenever I could, I would wander up to the peak of this hill, and lay in the grass, to watch a sunrise, sunset, or even just to watch the clouds slowly roll over the blue sky. The gentle warm wind playfully picked up and rearranged my hair, as well as Ichi's, who quickly replaced it each time the breeze would blow a strand of hair that was part of the bang that hid her face out of place.

What could be so important? Underneath that swoop of white hair, what was that secret?

I had a feeling, in my gut, that if I saw what was underneath that bang, I would get one step closer to understanding Ichi's past, to understanding Ichi. Unfortunately, I doubted I would ever get that peek.

But I was the rabbit. I never gave up, I never simply surrendered. I would try, try everything, to help myself understand the new, beautiful Sohma.

I watched her dark green eyes flit over the view in front of her. I couldn't see any emotion, but I had a sense, a feeling, that it was there.

Ichi, the cold girl, the mean beauty, the dark and bitter one, had a heart, like everyone else. I knew that from the beginning. That's why I was trying so hard, so hard to get a reaction. It was so that everyone could see that she had a heart in her pale chest, that she wasn't just a unfeeling person who dressed in black, and hid her face from the world.

Then, suddenly, I almost didn't catch it because she demolished the evidence in just a split second, but I was able to notice. A tear, a single tear slid down her cheek.

Ichi was crying.

AUTHOR'S NOTE ***VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ***: MIYAKO SEQUEL is coming up soon! I have an outline, and as soon as this story is over and done with, the new one will be up! I am super, uber excited! Do you all want a Miyako sequel? (to those of you who have read it. To those who haven't, get on it!)

Thanks, and REVIEW!

With love, Echo Salazar


	11. Chapter 11

_Ichi was crying._

_**Chapter Eleven- Ichi's Pov**_

As I watched the mixture of beautiful painted colors, seeping out in unexpected direction, mixing and mingling with each other, embracing the other colors like dear friends, my mind wouldn't let me marvel at the sight.

My mind, my greatest enemy, sent me back, back many years ago, to a moment in time that stuck so deeply with me.

_The two of us sat in the long grass, the greenness embracing our clothes, I was in a long black dress, and the little girl in my lap, was in a long, filmy white one. We were opposites, but her happy smile infected me, making the happiness to spread through my veins whenever she was near. And my sadness, my coldness, melted at her skin, it couldn't freeze her like it had me. She, was my summer._

"_Chichi, look!" She giggled, and pointed to a cloud. "It looks like a bunny!" A bunny, her favorite animal, had appeared in the clouds right before the sunset, a small little pink rabbit._

_I grinned. "Good eyes Hami! It looks just like Momisa." Momisa, was Hami's small little stuffed pink bunny that she loved so much. It would sit on her bed every day, in the room just next to mine. Even though our rooms both faced the same way, opening to the rising sun, hers was always brighter._

_My back was leaning against the tall trunk of a tree, deep emerald leaves overhanging our heads. Our hair blew back in the gentle breeze, her ringlets brushing the pale skin of my neck._

_I held her close as the sun began to sink, into the quicksand of time, quicksand the sun fell victim to every evening, as night began to seep through the creases of sky the disappearing rays of sun could no longer reach._

_She began to play with a bracelet that rested on my wrist, and I could tell by the small wrinkle in her forehead, that she was thinking. Hami had always been a thinker, surprisingly intelligent and observing in her youth. "Chichi?" She whispered._

_I looked down at her. "Yes Hami?"_

_My little sister looked down at her hands that continued to play with my bracelet, embarrassment. "What's wrong?" I questioned. _

"_Why do you make your hair that way?" She pointed to the swoop of white hair that covered my left eye._

_I faltered, not expecting her to ask. "No reason, I just like it this way." I responded._

"_But, you liked it the other way before, and I did too. I liked seeing both of your eyes." She frowned downwards._

_That last sentence, that one thing, that Hami liked so much, was the one thing that I could never do for her. I could never show her both of my eyes again; I could never let her have to suffer along with me. Her ignorance was a blessing. She just needed to understand that._

_After a few more minutes, spent in silence, the sun gave its last breath, before sinking into the mud that pulled it, and the world, into darkness, I finally spoke. "You ready?" I smiled. She smiled in return, and we got up, returning to the house._

Tears, tears began to form in my eyes, burning me, burning more than just my eyes. Tears, things that I hated, because they left me weak, they left me vulnerable. And, they had chosen to appear now, in front of him, in front of Momiji.

But before he could see, I wiped the tear that had strayed down my cheek, or so I thought. When I looked over at him, he was staring at me. "What?" I growled.

His eyes almost shifted, but they were caught by yet another tear, damn tear. The timing couldn't have been worse.

And, before I knew it, I felt something surround me, warm things, arms. I froze, I didn't move, instinct taking full control. I couldn't recall when I had been touched, in a friendly way, and neither could my body.

Before my rational thoughts could protest against my instinct, my leg kicked out, hitting the blonde haired boy in the chest, sending him back into the grass. Luckily, my platform shoes had been left inside, when I had come home my feet where hurting from all the walking. If they had been on, Momiji would've experienced injury, no doubt.

He looked up at me, tears of pain in his eyes. Tears, tears that I had caused, again. I had always caused tears, pain, heartbreak, and now, in this new home that I had almost allowed myself to feel hope for, I had caused it again. I had ruined everything.

And without a second thought, I turned, and ran. I ran down the hill, my bare feet hitting the ground, bending with the slope, and I ran through the trees, dodging and ducking, and I ran past the house.

I ran out the gate, and onto the sidewalk, my feet slapping on the cement. Trees whizzed past me, people stopped and stared at my speed. I could hear my name, being called far in the distance, but I was too far gone to stop.


	12. Chapter 12

_I ran out the gate, and onto the sidewalk, my feet slapping on the cement. Trees whizzed past me, people stopped and stared at my speed. I could hear my name, being called far in the distance, but I was too far gone to stop._

_**Chapter Twelve- Momiji's Pov**_

The bell on the top of the large tower, that raised above all the other buildings in the city we lived in, chimed, symbolizing the coming of a new day. It was now midnight, we had been searching for five hours now, and I had a feeling we would search for many more hours.

Ichi had simply vanished, into the darkness that the now fully descended night, barefoot and moving fast. For a little while, we were able to find witnesses, people who saw the black-clad girl moving fast down the sidewalks and roads, but as people began to retreat into their houses to sleep, witnesses became increasingly scarce, until there were none. With no clues to go on, all the Sohma's that could be bothered to get up and search for an elusive girl in the middle of the night were searching blindly through the many streets and alleys that the city contained.

Even with help from the supernatural elements each Sohma contained, it didn't help much. She had still gone completely off the radar, gone from sight, but not from mind. She was somewhere, out there, running from us, from me. I didn't want her to leave, she didn't need to. I would've forgiven her for what she did; I forgave her for kicking me.

But she didn't know that. And that was the problem.

"Ichi!" I heard her name being called, by none other than Hatori. He was one of the searchers; Hatori, Shigure, Miyako, Hatori, Ayame, Kisa, Kagura, and me, we were all outside, calling for her, our eyes peering down hidden corners and passages.

And then, came a sinking feeling, a horrible sinking feeling, in my gut, like a black hole was distorying me from within. It was a feeling that made me loose hope. And with that, I began to walk faster, to a point when I was running. Something bad was happening, or about to happen, and I had to find Ichi before it all fell through.

Soon enough, I found myself at the borders of the city, running down a road I had walked so often, to go and see Tohru, to go and annoy Kyo, to go and visit with Shigure and Yuki. Because of my speed, I was able to make it down the road quickly, quicker than I had ever been able to any other day. Maybe it was because I was the rabbit, that I was able to run so quickly or maybe it was my concern and worry for Ichi that fueled my legs.

Instead of stopping at the warm, inviting looking house, I ran past it, catching a glimpse of Tohru Honda's back, as she washed dishes in the sink, forever cleaning up. So tempting it was to stop, any other time I would have. But as the blackness in my stomach began to turn to butterflies, gnawing at the inside of me, I forced myself to speed up.

With a sharp turn, I ran off the road, and into the forest, allowing all my instincts to take over. I leapt over gnarly roots, my feet kicking up loose dirt that covered the floor, ducking to avoid especially low branches. I didn't allow myself to slow, and my instinctual reflexes allowed me to do just that. The rabbit inside reacted quicker than the human on the outside ever could, and quickness was so absolutely necessary.

Twisting through the forest, moving in intricate patterns, if this was Ichi's path, she had gone out of her way to make sure nobody could follow her, or at least they couldn't follow her easily.

And suddenly, I was met with nowhere to go. I had ran straight towards a fifteen-foot dried riverbed, straight up and down, with no bridge, so there goes my faith in my instincts. Unless, unless that sinking feeling, meant something, else.

Slowly, I peered over the side, not wanting to, but having to. It was like watching a car wreck, you knew that you shouldn't watch, that it would scar your mind, but you had to, you couldn't miss the action, the drama, the danger, the curiosity.

And just like watching the end result of the wreck, as soon as I was able to peer through the dark shadows of ink the night sky bled from above, I regretted the decision, I wished to everything that I haven't looked down.

There, splayed on the pointed and jagged rocks, was the body of a girl, a young woman, her white hair dyed crimson with the blood that flowed from unseen wounds on her head, her black clothes displaced from the fall, showing rivers of red fluid flow down her exposed skin.

The black hole that had been growing, had now swallowed me.


	13. Chapter 13

_The black hole that had been growing, had now swallowed me._

_**Chapter Thirteen- Ichi's Pov**_

_Everything was so dark, darkness seeped throughout my mind, infecting my blood, coursing through my veins, until it finally reached my heart. But it was too late; the darkness had infected that part of my body so long ago, freezing it in a wall of the blackest ice._

_I had to laugh at the irony of all of this, even in my death, I couldn't escape the darkness that had plagued me throughout my entire life, that I had so desperately tried to rid myself of, going as far to end my life to cure this incurable disease that coursed through me._

_I squinted through the darkness, an attempt to see anything, but it was, so dark, too dark, pitch black. I was all alone, in the afterlife, all alone in a strange place, all alone, as alone as I had been when my little sister died._

_My biggest hope for death, had been that I would've been able to see her, to reach out to her, to hold her, even if just for a few seconds before I was dragged down to the pits of hell, away from my angel, to receive the punishment that without a doubt was to come._

_And now, I was just abandoned, no Hami, no demon or fire to let me feel the pain that I needed to feel to justify the horrible deed I had committed, perhaps this was my punishment, to forever be alone, in the dark, as my heart which no longer thumped in my chest froze all the way through._

_But of course, things never work out that way, for just as I began to welcome the darkness, my surroundings suddenly became blindingly bright, absolute purity, enough to almost make my own black soul melt, but not quite._

_And standing there, the source of the blinding light, her golden ringlets gently falling down her back, where also two feathery white wings attached themselves, a white dress falling gracefully to her feet, was Hami._

_She stared at me, her beautiful deep eyes peering into my heart, past the ice that incased, and covered the inside, to a place that only her eyes could reach, a special place I had reserved just for her, only for her._

"_Ichi?" She whispered, and then a small smile lite her face and she ran to me, incasing me in her small arms. Pulling back, she gently ran her fingers through my white hair, making a point of not revealing the hidden side._

"_Hami." I whispered, touching her face, feeling warm, smooth flesh under my slender long fingers._

_We stayed there, Hami standing there staring into me, I kneeling on nothing below me was merely more brightness, for as far down as I could see, my little sister lighting up the cavern of darkness._

_But I had to break the silence, I had to know. "What are you doing here? What am I doing here?" _

_Hami smiled, a certain wisdom seeping into her bright young eyes. "To answer your first question, it is because I am the angel of limbo. I help those who have lost their path find the strength, give them the light to continue in their life. To answer your second question, it is because you have lost your path. I am here to show you what you would be missing, if you were to allow yourself to die."_

"_You mean, I'm not dead?" My eyes widened, I couldn't even end my life, why did I have to fail so miserably at everything I did?_

_Hami shook her head, much to my utter disappointment. "Not yet at least. It is now up to you, whether you live, or whether you die."_

_And before I could object, my view faded, Hami retreated from my eyes, I was being pulled, away from her, into the abbess of my own life, into what was happening._

_It was as if I was in a movie theater, everything around me was black, the light Hami had once brought with her gone, the only source of brightness coming from the images that flashed before me. My life was in all senses, flashing before my very eyes._

_It all first starting with me in my crib, my mother looking down upon me, a confused look in her eyes, as if she wasn't sure what to think of the little infant, with white hair that covered her newborn head, and intelligent eyes that stared back at her mother. My mother looked at me, and then left, hearing the doorbell ring, behind the door was no doubt that man, her boyfriend at this point in time; they were to go on their first date today. That was when my mother made the decision that she would make again and again throughout my life, that man, before me._

_The next moment in time, was when Hami was born. I was waiting outside in the hospital lobby, when the nurse came to fetch me. There, was my mother and relatively new step-father, looking at a blanket wrapped bundle. Kana looked up at me, smiling, the first time she had actually produced a smile in my general direction. Hope began to push tentatively forward into my thoughts, until she spoke. "The baby isn't like you, isn't that wonderful?" And hope once again retreated into the cave it had hidden in for so many years._

_After that, came the many moments when handcuffs were snapped around my wrists, when my mother would turn me away, only my step-father claiming me after perhaps a week at least in a holding cell. Soon, even he wouldn't come and get me, soon it was simply business people in suits, or more police men. _

_The last of my memories, was me arriving at the Sohma household, seeing my father for the first time, seeing all of his friends, meeting the irritating boy they called Momiji, which, although I truly despised the idea of it, was my one friend that I possessed there._

_And then, the memories ended, and the present began. It was what I saw there, what was happening right now, as I stayed in the darkness, that changed my decision._

_It was the face of a boy, his childlike features deceiving many of his true age. His blonde hair was wind swept, as if he had been running, or biking. His eyes had tears that were both collecting, as well as flowing freely down his cheeks. It was Momiji, Momiji leaning over my body, at the bottom of the riverbed, sobbing._

_That, was when, without thinking, I said four words. "I choose to live." And the darkness, faded._


	14. Chapter 14

_That, was when, without thinking, I said four words. "I choose to live." And the darkness, faded._

_**Chapter Fourteen- Momiji's Pov**_

Without a second's hesitation, I scaled down the tall sides of the river bed. My fingernails tore on the sharp rocks, dirt dug deep under my nails into the soft skin that lay underneath. But I couldn't even feel the pain; I didn't register the scrapes I was receiving from protruding roots and sticks on my knees as I slid down. My mind was focused on one thing, and one thing alone, Ichi.

As soon as I felt the uneven rocky bottom beneath my feet, I raced over to her. As I neared her, I could tell there was more blood than I could've ever imagined from above, the crimson liquid was winding through the rocks, pooling in different places, reaching all the way to where I was standing. As I ran to the girl, tripping but getting right back up, no time to waste, I felt that the rocks, pooling in different places, reaching all the way to where I was standing. As I ran to the girl, tripping but getting right back up, no time to waste, I felt that black hole change, it wasn't swallowing me anymore, it was extracting something, ripping something inside of me out of me, out into the abyss that it was. I knew, inside, that I couldn't let the blackness consume whatever it was taking, removing from my heart, and I fought, fought against the darkness, to keep that little piece of me.

There, lay Ichi. Her hair, once that beautiful snowy white, was dyed a sickening crimson. Her pale skin, previously untouched by any blemishes or flaws to ruin the beautiful perfectness, was dyed a similar color, in rivers that flowed freely down, under her black clothes that were now torn and ripped, and onto the ground. So much blood was seeping from her, and her life was slipping out along with the liquid. But even in this horrible moment in time, Ichi's beauty didn't fade.

With a shaking hand, I reached out towards her neck, where the blood pooled at her collar bone, before slipping out down both sides of her elegantly pale neck. I touched her; her skin was cold, so cold, like ice. It was as if a layer ice had covered her, too thin to see, but too strong to break.

Tears slipped down my cheeks, as I pressed harder into her neck, not too hard to hurt her, but hard enough to seek the pulse I was looking for. But there was none, nothing beat, nothing thumped, nothing moved underneath my hand.

I quickly placed a hand on her stomach, feeling for the rise and fall that would symbolize life, and breathing. But there was nothing, nothing but the shaking of my own hand.

And as I looked down at Ichi, the girl who had only just come into my life, the girl that I had hoped to break through, to access the part of her heart that was still raw, open, so that I could heal the pain inside of it, was no longer with me, no longer with this world.

Ichi Sohma, daughter of Kana and Hatori, was dead.

I bent over her, clutching her to me, tears running freely now, dripping onto her, marring the once un-altered streams of blood, but that didn't last for long, more blood replaced where it was lacking. I gritted my teeth, feeling so empty inside; a hole had been torn inside of me, an empty space right next to the empty space I had reserved for Momo, for my mother, for everyone I cared about. Everyone that I had loved, they had all left me. Many times, I had begun to wonder, was it me? Was I the thing that drove everyone away?

I looked down at her, at the girl who had destroyed herself, at the girl who froze until she cracked, the girl who pushed everyone away, the girl with so many secrets that would now never be revealed to the rabbit.

Secrets, Ichi compiled them until they buried her, for so much bottled up inside the girl had finally ended her. That was what caused Momiji the most tears. If only, if only he had been able to get the girl to reveal herself to him sooner, if only he hadn't taken her up to the hill, if only Momiji had worked harder with her, then maybe, maybe she would still be here, with him. But he had failed, failed like so many times before, and she had paid the price.

He kneeled to the ground, holding his head to her chest, listening to the nothingness that resonated inside of her, his tear still flowing, making the clothes that clung to the dead girl's cold body even wetter, already moist from the blood that continued to come. How much blood could the girl give? How much blood was in her?

And then, as soon as I thought about it, the bleeding ceased to flow. The streams of blood ran as dry as the river bed Ichi had landed on, leaving only the horrible stain as a reminder, a reminder that her life had been taken.

But then, something inside changed, quickly, almost unnoticeably, but still definitely there. It was as if, the pulling, the tearing, the ripping, had just, stopped, and the after affect was fading.

And then, ever so faintly, I heard something. This something, it conquered the silence that had fallen over the empty barren riverbed, it stirred the wave of hurt that had clustered around us, like a cloud of dust that has been stirred by a sudden gust of wind.

It was the gentle beating of a heart.


	15. Chapter 15

_It was the gentle beating of a heart._

_**Chapter Fifteen- Omniscient Pov**_

It seemed that eve before it began to ring, Hatori was reaching into his pocket for his small black cellphone. It was one of the very rare occasions that he actually had it on, usually he had very little need for what he considered to be an obnoxious device, for he was only a few doors down from Akito, and who he wasn't near enough to be called, maids and servants would come to fetch him.

But tonight was a night when Hatori needed that immediate contact. He was looking for a girl, a girl that although seemed to hate him with every fiber of her being, he loved. Although he probably wouldn't be able to ever tell her that, even if they found her alive. It wasn't that he didn't want to per say, it was that she probably didn't want to hear it.

Hatori had been out all night, moving quickly while still maintaining a walking pace, or it would technically still qualify as walking. But he was pushing that definition with his long strides, the heels of his professional black shoes clicking on the pavement. The fact that he was still wearing his white lab coat proved that he had wasted no time on his way out.

When Hatori pressed the green button on the face of his phone, and lifted it up to his ear, all the while not breaking his stride, he wasn't sure what he was going to hear. Although he did have many ideas of what the conversation could carry on of, he was sure he didn't want to hear any of them.

Momiji's panicked voice just stirred those dismal thoughts, until he said two words _"she's alive"_. From then on, Hatori barely listened to the rest of the words that flooded into his ear, but his strides now changed directions, exactly opposite in fact.

The words his mind did register, was alive, _bleeding heavily, forest, river bed, rocks, send help, hurry. _For those were the only words the doctor needed to hear.

Within minutes, because of his strides pushing out of the walking pace to a nice jog, Hatori Sohma passed the house Shigure shared with three others, and arrived at the river bed.

Now, the Sohma doctor had seen many injuries in his time, much blood and gore, mainly from Kyo, Miyako, and the occasional other, he had even seen a parents of Zodiac creatures pass away due to a malfunction in birthing, to an incident, to suicide, but nothing he had even seen could've prepared him for the sight he beheld. What could've prepared a father to see his child's broken form on craggy and sharp rocks, blood covering her and the young boy that knelt beside her?

But somehow, as he slid down the rocky bank of the now withered river bed, strode quickly over to his daughter's dying form, towards a sobbing and distressed blonde headed boy, as he leaned down on his knees to check her pulse, to make sure her breathing, although it was strained and almost non-existent, still was there, he managed to keep his stoic composure.

Some would have called it coldness, that his heart was as equally frozen as his daughter's, that even when someone so close to his own heart was dying, he couldn't bring himself to feel any emotion. Some would've said that he didn't even have one, a heart, frozen or not. And it did appear so, not just on this occasion, but on so many before.

But in reality, those people couldn't have been farther away from the truth.

The pain Hatori felt, then, and now, on an everyday basis in fact, was substantial, was inconceivable, and would've been too much for anyone else to stand, for it was almost too much for Hatori to stand himself.

It wasn't that he was a cold, heartless, cruel man with little to no sympathy, it was just the simple fact that if he did allow his pain to show, if he let the hurt he had been harboring break free from its' bonds, it would overrun him, drown him in a sea of agony, until he could no longer bear to exist, or to function.

So, he kept everything inside, even as he was soon joined by an assistant from the Sohma house, who brought a stretcher and car, even as he strapped his daughter down and helped lift her up, even as he then lifted first a still crying Momiji and then himself up the bank of the dried up river, and as he shut the door to the car, sitting beside his daughter.

But then, a small bit of liquid, just a small bead, not even big enough to count as a rain drop. But it was large enough, larger than any other tear he had ever shed of sadness before; it was the most meaningful too.

And with that, before anyone else could see, it evaporated, as if it had never been there, never existed. But Hatori knew that it had.


	16. Chapter 16

_And with that, before anyone else could see, it evaporated, as if it had never been there, never existed. But Hatori knew that it had._

_**Chapter Sixteen- Momiji's Pov**_

Hatori rushed alongside the stretcher as it was rolled into his quarters, yelling instructions to all around him, the instincts of a doctor kicking in. With great care not to move any part of Ichi's back, which may or may not have been fractured, broken, or displaced. We wouldn't know until we were able to do some x-rays, and since she landed on the rocks on her back, the likely-hood of spine damage was high.

Working quicker than he had ever before, his hands whirling into blurs, he stopped the blood that had resumed streaming from the multiple wounds decorating the girl's body, but only temporarily. Soon, his entire body, not just his hands, turned into a blur, moving back and forth from his equipment table, to the treatment table, and back again. I sat in the corner, staring, watching, as Ichi was poked, prodded, all in an attempt to save her.

As we were driving, in the car, I hadn't even realized we were moving until we finally arrived. I could only focus on one thing, the sight before me, of a dying Ichi. I remembered her, how she had glowed in the sunset, how her eyes shimmered, how her hair reflected a healthy ray of brightness. Now, that glow was gone, she had dulled.

"Momiji, get over here." Hatori called, not drawing his eyes up to look at me. "We need all the help we can get here." I walked over, standing beside the table, handed medical equipment to hold by the staff and by the doctor himself.

"Sir, you should see this." A younger man, with loose and greasy looking black hair, who was a simple servant, said. He was up near Ichi's head, with a small light, almost like a flashlight, in hand.

Hatori tied off the bandage he was using to stop the bleeding from one of the girl's many cuts on her legs. His movement blocked my view, as the two men crowded around her face. Studying Hatori, trying to get a sense of what was going on since I was being cut out of the action, I saw him give a small flinch, just a slight little ripple through his muscles.

I tried to push through, but it was too late, Hatori had already turned back, and view of Ichi's face was soon covered by the other greasy haired assistant as he worked on her head wound. "You, get me some more bandages, Momiji, help me here." He directed me to her stomach, where there was a rather large ripe tearing deep into her skin. Upon closer inspection, I sickeningly discovered that there was a part of her intestine bubbling up through the rip. I handed the doctor some alcohol wipes, some silver tools that I didn't know the names for, and many, many bandages.

As Hatori worked, pushing the organ back in, attempting to stitch his daughter up, I glanced around, seeing everything for the first time.

Hatori's usually sterile white lab coat was stained a crimson color, only peeks of the former color appearing. The latex gloves he wore were the same color, except they showed the vibrant shade of Ichi's blood because of their clear complexion. The examination table, which I so often hopped up on, to get my checkup, was stained with the red fluid as well, sinking through the paper, and into the cushion. He would have to replace it no doubt.

And Ichi, Ichi was the worst off; after all she was where all the blood was originating from. Her pale skin had gone to a deathly shade, her hands hung limply at her sides, her breathing was barely apparent, and when I got close enough to hear it, I could hear the obvious strain it took for her.

All of this, all of it, was my fault. If I hadn't taken her to the hill, if I hadn't pushed her to let me in, she would be alright. The tears that had once dried returned. She was dying, the one girl I cared most for, over Tohru, the one I held equal to Momo, and it was entirely my fault.

Without looking back, I turned, and ran out of the office, running hard, balling my hands into fists until they were shaking from the grip. My feet slapped down on the tatami mats as I turned corners in the hallway, until I burst into my own quarters, slamming the door shut.

Then, I buried my head into my pillow, and cried.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but I will update a longer one VERY soon. Promise. Please review! 3 –Echo Salazar


	17. Chapter 17

_Then, I buried my head into my pillow, and cried._

_**Chapter Seventeen- Omniscient Pov**_

When Momiji again returned to the medical room, everything was white, sterile, and clean. The purity of it all almost hurt his eyes. There was not a speck, not even a hint, that would lead anyone to believe that there had been an emergency of such a level that there had been in the room. Of course, the rabbit knew better, he knew better than to fall prey to the seemingly calm and peaceful feel the room gave off.

And lying there, in the middle, on a cot that had been pulled out for her to rest on, was Ichi. Her white hair was freshly washed, all the matted and dried blood that he had seen before, and expected, was gone, and wrapped around her head, holding her hair down to her head, was layers of wrapped fresh bandages. In fact, those bandages covered the majority of her body.

The blonde haired boy knelt down, gently running his finger over her face, just ghosting the skin that was no doubt more than a little sore. His tears had dried, leaving his eyes red and puffy, and dried streaks down his cheeks. He looked down at her face, so perfect even in the pain that she must no doubt be experiencing. And then, Momiji's eyes fell onto the hair that was still swept over her eye. He could so easily peek; discover what was hidden underneath, just by the moving of a few strands of hair.

But instead, he left it alone. He wasn't about to risk losing her trust again; he wasn't going to risk getting set back even further than he was.

"Hello Momiji." A voice came from the door. He turned to see the black haired doctor leaning tiredly in the doorframe. He nodded at him, and began to stand, but Hatori waved him down. "Stay."

And the rabbit quickly sat back down, as Hatori made his way over to the cot. The doctor then sat cross-legged right beside Momiji. Both simply observed Ichi, watching as her stomach rose and fell with ease ragged and strained breath she took. They watched her face, her calmness was eerie, if it wasn't for the sound and visibility of her breathing, she could easily be mistaken for dead.

"Will she be alright?" The rabbit boy asked the doctor.

Hatori gave a heavy sigh. "Physically? Yes, be at least two weeks until she can get out of bed, but she's a fast healer from what I can tell. Now, mentally, on the other hand, will take much longer."

The boy nodded in understanding. "And, I expect you to help." The doctor finished, looking from his daughter to Momiji.

Momiji's eyes flickered up to look at the man's face, which was very serious, and just a tad bit of desperation seemed to seep through into his dark eyes. But perhaps that was simply part of the younger's imagination. With a nod, the boy returned his eyes to the sleeping girl in front of them.

Then, after three minutes, Momiji finally broke the cloud of silence that had settled over their heads. "What do you think happened to her? I mean, earlier on, when she was with Kana?"

Hatori shrugged. There was really no way to know, no way to get inside her head, she had guarded her secrets and thoughts well. The only way they would find out, was if she told them herself. And that was uncertain if she actually would do such a thing.

But the one thing that he did know is that her experience early on in life, was not good. Otherwise, she wouldn't have carried it this way, wouldn't have turned out like this, so cold, so angry. But this was the present now, the past couldn't be changed, and yet, the future could.

Hatori knew that it was his responsibility to make sure that it turned out well. And he wasn't alone in this; Momiji knew that it was his responsibility as well.

"Well, I'll be back soon, just going to go and get some lunch." Momiji said, standing up, and walking out the door. He wasn't actually going for lunch, but he got the feeling that Hatori needed some time, alone, with his daughter.

And he did. Even though nothing was said, and the time was spent in absolute silence, there was a communication. Perhaps it was as one-sided as it appeared, perhaps not. But when Momiji finally returned, the smallest, the tiniest, the most miniscule, of the uplifted corners of her lips, a smile, appeared on Ichi's face.


	18. Chapter 18

_And he did. Even though nothing was said, and the time was spent in absolute silence, there was a communication. Perhaps it was as one-sided as it appeared, perhaps not. But when Momiji finally returned, the smallest, the tiniest, the most miniscule, of the uplifted corners of her lips, a smile, appeared on Ichi's face._

_**Chapter Eighteen- Momiji's Pov**_

I sat beside Ichi for the next two days. I didn't get up for anything, not even to eat or to drink water, for it was delivered to him by servants, and by Hatori when he came to check on his daughter. Hatori would stay as long as he could, but servants would continuously call him, Akito this, Hatsuharu that, it never ended for the man. It was slightly ironic, that even though he only accepted family as patients, he had more workload than any regular doctor.

And nothing much happened. Ichi's breath leveled out to a steady and strong pattern, her heart beat was stable and paced. She was recovering, and quickly at that, doing much better than any regular human, then again, she was of Sohma blood.

Every morning, the maids came in to assist Hatori in changing her bandages, sheets, and clothes, on which drops of blood had leaked to stain the whiteness of the pajama-like clothes. I helped with giving her pain medication through her IV tube, and with whatever else I could, it was my excuse for staying. Well, only to the servants and the other zodiacs that came to visit. Hatori could easily see the true reason that I was staying, the reason being that I really couldn't, I just could make myself get up, and walk through the door, leaving her lying on the bed, alone, helpless.

Just because she was recovering didn't mean that something unexpected, something could set her back in her healing process, maybe really seriously too, and Momiji couldn't stand it if he wasn't there, by her side, to help her.

"Hello Momiji, would you like something to eat?" Hatori asked, sitting down next to me on the tatami covered floor. He was holding a plate of small sweet looking items, but I simply shook my head.

The doctor sighed, and put the plate down on the small medical tray. "Sitting there isn't going to make her better; it isn't going to make her wake up sooner." He reminded. I simply nodded.

"But at least I can be here when she does." I looked at her, and then at her father. "When do you think she's going to wake up?"

Hatori shrugged. "Severe head trauma, it could take from a few more minutes, to a few more weeks."

I acknowledged this with a nod, and then went back to watching her. Taking that as being dismissed, the doctor stood, and left, leaving me with the still unconscious girl.

After a while, I felt my eyelids becoming heavy, drooping with the sun, as it fell behind the grassy hills and vibrant trees that covered the Sohma property. And as it finally faded out of sight, I fell asleep, my head resting right next to Ichi's cold, unmoving hand.

"_Hello, do you want to join me?" A voice called. Everything around me was dark, like standing in the midst of a deep forest in a moonless night. I searched the shadows for anything, anyone who could've made that voice._

_I began to walk, in which direction I wasn't sure. I just walked, walked towards the voice I had heard, the voice that I hadn't heard in so long. It was gentle, gentler than I had ever heard it before. There was no hint of the coldness that usually infected her words; there was none of that ice that always coated her._

_And then, I stepped out of the shadows, and onto a brightly lit hill. Sunshine was glowing down on the grass, the sky spared from a single cloud._

_And there, sitting in the grass, leaning up against a tree trunk, was Ichi. But not the Ichi I knew. This girl had long white hair that curled in gentle and loose ringlets, and was parted down the middle. Both of her eyes were revealed, beautiful and vibrant. And, she wasn't wearing black; she was wearing a light blue long dress._

"_Come here!" She laughed, but I realized, she wasn't speaking to me. She was speaking to a girl, much younger than me, probably even younger than Kisa. The girl had blonde ringlets that bounced up and down as she ran towards Ichi. She was wearing a white dress, that streamed out behind her as she picked up speed, until she finally flung herself into Ichi's arms, embracing the white haired girl._

_The little girl pulled back, and settled in Ichi's lap, playing with the white strands of hair. "When do you have to leave?" She asked, looking up at the older girl._

_Ichi shrugged. "I don't know, soon probably."_

"_Can't you just stay here with me forever?" The little girl clung to Ichi's neck._

_Ichi smiled. "Soon enough Hami, I will."_

_Then, they curled up together, soaking up the sun. And from where I watched, their image seemed to shrink, getting blurry, moving further away, until I was back in the blackness that had indulged me before._

With a start, I woke up, looking around, to see only darkness. I stood shakily, and walked over to the wall, feeling my way around, until I could find a light switch.

Turning it on, the brightness burned my eyes, and, judging by the moan, someone else's as well.


	19. Chapter 19

_Turning it on, the brightness burned my eyes, and, judging by the moan, someone else's as well._

_**Chapter Nineteen- Ominous Pov**_

Momiji froze where he was, turned away from the cot where Ichi had rested for the past few days, towards the white wall that lined the borders of the infirmary. For a moment, or maybe a few, he couldn't bring himself to look back. He just stayed where he was, staring at the white paint that almost overwhelmed his eyes.

It was as if his legs were numb, then the rest of his body soon followed. The moment that he had dreamed of was finally happening, but was he ready to face it? The simple fact was, he wasn't sure what Ichi would be like, would it still be Ichi?

Before, all of this, happened, the moments before, Ichi hadn't been herself. Would she remain in that mentality, or would she be the person that I had first met? Or would she be neither?

The blonde haired boy, with the final thought that if he didn't look, he would never find out, turned around, to only become frozen once more.

Ichi Sohma, the daughter of Hatori Sohma, the beautiful white haired girl that only days ago had been on the very brink of death, the very verge of tipping into the abyss of the afterlife, was stirring.

Her eyes or the visible one at least, was open, blinking at the sudden and harsh light. Its dark emerald color had dulled from its usual vibrant and gem-like qualities, but it had a renewed sort of color, the color of a life regained.

Her skin that had once been so pale, so taunt over her bones, so cold looking and in touch, contained a slight rosy shade that cancelled out that deathly frozen look she had possessed before.

Momiji simply stared, as slowly, painfully so, she brought one hand up to her face, the long nimble fingers shaking, from fatigue or hurt he did not know, rubbing her eye to sooth it. And with that, she removed it, and began to search the room.

All she could see was the whiteness of the walls and the covers, the brightness of the light above her, overwhelming to newly awakened senses.

Tentatively, Momiji stepped forward, as slowly and cautiously as the rabbit could muster with all the excitement that threatened to boil over inside of him. He couldn't risk losing her so soon, he couldn't risk anything anymore.

As he reached the side of her cot, kneeling down next to her, their eyes met, green on gold, he couldn't contain himself anymore. He reached over, and hugged her.

Now, he knew what to expect. Without a doubt, Ichi would shove him away, growling at him for being a "runt" or perhaps a "brat".

But she didn't. She didn't move, she didn't speak, she just stiffened, not pushing him away, but not accepting him either.

And as Momiji finally pulled away, a smile on his face, she looked up at him, her green eyes without any expression.

What she said next, was enough to make Momiji loose his smile. It was enough to have him yell for Hatori, worry seeping deep into his voice.

"I'm sorry but, do I know you?"


	20. Chapter 20

"_I'm sorry but, do I know you?"_

_**Chapter Twenty- Omniscient Pov**_

"The amnesia is being caused by a severe concussion she received from her head injury." Hatori explained, looking over at the girl at the other side of the room. Momiji and the doctor were huddled in the corner so that they could talk without worrying her, at least more than she was already.

"How long will it take her to get her memories back?" The rabbit asked, watching as Ichi readjusted the white hospital shirt she was wearing, nervously fiddling with the collar as she did so. Her eyes were constantly darting over to look at the two.

Hatori shrugged. "First, we'd have to find out what she does remember. Her amnesia could just be affecting her most recent memories, the memories of us. If that is the case, then she should recover over a rather short period of time. But, if it is affecting all of her memories, including those from her childhood, recovery time could take a long time, to a point where she could never get all her memories back."

Momiji's eyes met hers, and she quickly glanced away. "Should we question her now then?" The doctor nodded, and then the two walked over to her cot.

When she saw them coming, she curled her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms tightly around her knees, and looked away. It was painfully obvious how scared she was, and it pained Momiji the most to know he was the one that was frightening her.

"Hello, you are in infirmary of the Sohma house. You fell and injured yourself in the woods, receiving a head wound that has resulted in a severe concussion. The concussion has made you lose some of your memories; we are going to ask you a few questions, to judge how much damage has been done, is that alright?" Hatori spoke gentler that Momiji had ever heard before. It was as if he was speaking to an animal, trying to coax a stray frightened dog out of hiding and into safety.

Very slowly, Ichi nodded, still refusing to look either of the males in the eyes.

"Do you know who either of us is?" He asked first.

Ichi shook her head, no. Momiji's heart began to sink, into a pit of quicksand, pulling him down into a hole.

"Do you know where you are?"

She nodded, yes. It felt to Momiji as if a vine had been thrown in to the pit, that he was being pulled up to the surface of the sand. "I am in the infirmary of the Sohma house, as you just told me." She answered. And the vine that had been recuing the rabbit broke.

"Do you know the names of your mother or your father?" He asked.

She shook her head. "No." And Hatori's heart was the one to sink further into the mud this time.

"Where are you from?"

"I do not know." She answered, fiddling with the edge of the sheet. Momiji could see the beginning of tears forming on the brink of her eyes.

"What is your favorite color?"

_Black_, Momiji answered with his mind. But Ichi could only shrug her shoulders, her arms still surrounding her legs in a death grip, as if they alone were the things that held her to the earth. And in a way, they were.

"Do you remember which elementary school you went to?"

Another "No" followed by the shaking of the head.

"Can you remember anything about your past at all?"

A single tear spilled out of Ichi's eye, rolling down her cheek. "No." Hatori and Momiji sat in silence, each looking to the other to ask the question, the final question, the most important, the most telling, that would give the most significant of answers.

Then, Momiji was the one to finally speak. "Do you know who _you_ are?"

Ichi finally looked up, staring into the blonde's eyes. "No."


	21. Chapter 21

_Ichi finally looked up, staring into the blonde's eyes. "No."_

_**Chapter Twenty-One- Momiji's Pov**_

It had been two weeks since Ichi had finally woken up, and gradually, the changes in Ichi's behavior became more and more apparent. At first, she would hardly speak to us, only nodding occasionally as we explained that Hatori was her father and that her mother was "on a three year trip to America", and left her in his care. As the weeks continued, she asked surprisingly few questions, not asking if Hatori was divorced, not asking if she had any siblings, she only asked questions like "What is her name" or "What does she do?"

But closer to the end, Ichi had begun to get more comfortable, or as comfortable as one could get under these circumstances. She even let through a few smiles, something I don't think I had ever seen before, or at least a sincere one. She looked so beautiful when she smiled, the dark clouds that had before surrounded her, had disintegrated, letting her smile shine freely. Gradually, she was able to stand up without assistance, able to stomach certain light foods, and with that she began to talk more, easy conversations popping up, even a few light hearted jokes slipping out of her lips.

Ichi, was completely changed, she was a new person. The darkness that always seemed to appear in her voice was replaced by a new glowing laugh. The glower that always darkened her beautiful eyes was replaced by this glow, the glow that seemed to spread all around her. She was, happy, something inside her, had been released, something much, much, more than just her memories. It was like along with the memories, the ropes that had been tying her back, holding her down in the shadows, had snapped, finally freeing her, or at least for the time being.

But I had to wonder, what will happen when Ichi finally regains her memories? Will the ropes grab her again, pulling her back so deep into the pit of black despair she had been trapped in for so long that we could never find her again? I tried to keep these thoughts out of my head, trying to focus on the happy Ichi that had appeared, to focus on the present instead of the future. But these dark, foreboding thoughts would never be ignored. However, I could reject them for as long as I could.

Today, was the day that Hatori was finally releasing her from the infirmary, into her own rooms, so that she could recover in comfort, the cot was no doubt not the most comfy bed she had ever slept on.

"Hey Ichi, you ready?" I grinned, entering the door of the medical wing.

She look up from the book she was reading _Revenge of the Ravens. _There was still that dark enjoyment that she possessed before, she had convinced Hatori to let her change her white hospital gown to a simple black kimono. "Hey Momiji!" She grinned back, jumping enthusiastically out of bed. I made a move forward, to catch her in case she fell, but luckily she didn't.

I kept my smile on as she gathered the few things that Hatori and I had brought her from her quarters, a hair brush, some books, and a blanket which was less scratchy than the ones already on the cot.

"Okay, onto my room!" She linked her arm through mine, and allowed me to lead the way. We winded through the empty halls of the Sohma house, Ichi staring with wide eyes at how large the house was. And to be honest, I sometimes marveled at that too, even after living here for so many countless years.

When we finally arrived in the same _wing_ as her room, we ran into a particular white and black haired boy, Hatsuharu. He was sitting up against a wall, right outside of his own room, which I realized wasn't far away from Ichi's.

Ichi looked at him in curiosity, and so I decided to introduce them. "Ichi, this is Hatsuharu, Hatsuharu, this is Ichi." Ichi gave a small smile, somewhat shy in fact. Hatsuharu gave a tentative smile as well.

"Do you live here too?" She asked.

The ox nodded. "Yup, right there." He jabbed his thumb backwards to point out the door to his own quarters.

"Awesome, maybe I'll see you around then." She smiled, and then we both continued on our way.

This was just another example of how she has changed. Previously, she wouldn't have cared to meet anyone new, even if they did share the same style that she donned on an everyday basis. She wouldn't have spoken politely, she wouldn't have smiled, shy or not.

We finally stopped outside the paper sliding door. "Alright, here you are. I'm right down the hall, so if you need me, just yell." I slid the door open, revealing the picture covered wall and the recently re-organized living room.

"Wow, fancy." She breathed, studying the walls, and peeking through the door that led to her bedroom. "This is seriously all mine?"

I nodded, and then slid the door shut, leaving her to marvel at her new life.

AUTHORS NOTE: I am soooooo sooooo sooooo sorry that I haven't updated in so long! I got sick (again), and couldn't think enough to use the computer. But I shall make it up to you! :D


	22. Chapter 22

_I nodded, and then slid the door shut, leaving her to marvel at her new life._

_**Chapter Twenty-Two- Omniscient Pov**_

The white haired girl watched as the door gently slid shut, and listened as the quiet footsteps that belonged to the blond haired boy retreated into nothingness. The girl considered calling out for him, begging him to stay with her, begging him to help her, help her find her way through the mud that her life had become.

She was lost, nothing to guide her, no memories, no diary, just the word of the man called Hatori and the boy called Momiji. She just had to wade, wade through the waist deep mud, hoping that it didn't suck her in, hoping that she wouldn't sink.

Slowly, Ichi turned, her bare feet moving gently against the floor, as if treading on egg shells. Her pale finger ran along the wall, just barely scraping her fingernail against the green paint.

She moved past the futon couch, past the orderly pillows, and past the low table with cushions resting on the floor as seats, to the sliding door that was covered in thin, yet relatively sturdy rice paper.

Inside was a newly made bed, with blue silk sheets that resembled water so closely, the girl almost yearned to touch them. But she didn't, she refrained, she didn't dare disturb the odd peace that had fallen over the simple room, with a dresser and desk, kept tidy and neat, everything in its own designated place.

There was, in the corner, lined up perfectly neat and straight, a tall pair of black boots, with platform soles and shining buckles, and the girl immediately smiled. She liked them, something attracted her to them, and her smile grew when she realized that she had found she was still some of the same person she was before, she still had that connection that she feared she had lost.

She was still, herself, in the loosest of terms.

Quietly, Ichi padded over to dresser, opening one of the drawers to find carefully folded black clothing. Again, she smiled, finding the same connection. Without a moment's hesitation, she plucked out of the wooden polished drawers a black pleated skirt and a grey shirt, artfully ripped, a black camisole built in as to not reveal too much.

With this, she began to remove her black kimono, which although was very comfortable and soothing against the skin, she was beginning to grow tired of it. Ichi felt, deep inside, that whoever she was before, she always needed some sort of, excitement, some sort of change, some sort of ongoing battle between her, and society. And she liked this.

But as she was removing her kimono, something in the mirror caught her eye. It was hardly noticeable, and due to its location, nobody else had probably noticed before. But there, right in the middle of her chest, right where her heart would be, was a black mark.

Looking closer, Ichi was quite startled to discover that it wasn't a simple mark, like a birthmark, for it was much, much too big, but a tattoo, and a beautifully elegant tattoo at that.

It was tribally stylized, thick black lines twirling and twisting, creating a gorgeous design, and however intricate it may have been, a distinct shape began to form from the pattern.

A dragon, a dragon twisted above her heart, claws unsheathed, mouth open in a roar, the tail curling down her chest until it ended in a defined point.

But however beautiful it may have been, Ichi couldn't help getting this feeling as she trailed her fingers along it, a feeling of dread, of danger, coming from the bold lines of ink etched into her skin.

Perhaps it was because the tattoo rested directly over her heart that she felt this way.

Perhaps it was because Ichi didn't know if the dragon was there to show the beauty and strength of her heart, or if it was to protect it from the outside world.

Deciding to leave the tattoo alone, she continued to dress, until she finally reached the dilemma of what to do with her face, make up as well as a hairstyle, for the current sweep of the bangs felt as if it was too, regular, for Ichi had noticed a small picture of herself with a smaller girl on her dresser, her white hair styled the exact same way.

But as she reached to sweep it out of her vision, that dark foreboding feeling returned, that feeling of despair that sent shivers up and down her spine, that feeling she had when she touched the bold outline of the tattoo. And slowly, she withdrew her hand.

Somewhere, in the back of her mind, where her memories had been pushed back into in a clutter and jumble of a mess, something was telling her that she wasn't ready for what was behind that veil of white strands.

And Ichi wisely decided to listen.

With the quick application of the lip gloss that was in the dresser drawer, and pulling on the black boots, she walked out, into the hallway, ready to face her new life, ready for what life decided to throw her way. Or so she thought.


	23. Chapter 23

_With the quick application of the lip gloss that was in the dresser drawer, and pulling on the black boots, she walked out, into the hallway, ready to face her new life, ready for what life decided to throw her way. Or so she thought._

_**Chapter Twenty-Three- Momiji's Pov**_

_I was standing above the riverbed once again, looking down, down into the chasm of craggy rocks and parched earth. Far down beneath me, was the mangled and bleeding body that belonged to Ichi._

_I tried to run towards her, but it was like running against the wind, I couldn't move quickly enough. That sinking feeling in my chest returned, as I saw blood pour out around her, creating an ocean of red that embraced the pale girl._

_I couldn't get there fast enough; I knew that before I could reach her, she would already be gone. "Ichi!" I yelled, clawing past the thickness of the air that held me back._

_My hands scraped against the rocks, my own blood dripping from my skin. My bare feet were punctured by sharp edges that bit at the tender bottom of them._

_Suddenly, I saw Ichi's eyes snap open, and hope began to rise in my chest, until she let loose an inhuman scream, clawing at her face, as if something inside her was trying to get out. Her dark green eye caught my own, and she gave me a pleading look. "Help me!" She wailed, before she sunk to her knees._

_Blood was still running down her, everywhere, her arms, her legs, her face; nothing was spared from the flood of crimson. With another cry, gripping her white hair between her fingers that were now dyed red, she fell to the ground limply, and didn't move again._

I sat up straight in bed, jolted out of my sleep by that horrible sound that I had heard in my dream. At first I thought perhaps it was just an echo, an imprint of the awful sound that had stuck in my mind, but as it continued, I realized that it wasn't.

I leapt up, to go and help Ichi, as I did every night.

In the last two weeks, her nightly screaming bouts had worsened, to a point where everyone in the household heard them, and nearly everyone was worried.

Quickly, I rushed out of my bedroom, my bare feet smacking the tatami mats at a fast pace. I made a direct path to her room, Hatori and Ayame joining me in the dash. We had to get to her before,

My thoughts were cut off when I heard a loud crash come from past her door. It was too late, now we could only stop it before it escalated.

I burst through the first door, to see the living room of Ichi's quarters destroyed, as they had been a few weeks ago, before the accident. The rice that servants had left for her dinner had been scattered across the floor mats, the bowl broken into many different shards. Pictures, some in their frames, some had their frames shattered into many plastic and wooden pieces, lay on the floor.

Pillows that lined the side door that open up to a garden had been thrown and ripped, stuffing falling out of the once sealed and flawless fabric.

The wall had paint scraped in a disturbingly finger like pattern, as if someone had used the very tips of their nails to dig into the side of the room, like an animal had been clawing at the sides of its cage, trying to get out.

With more caution, we all proceeded, using precise planned step instead of the dash that we had arrived using.

Slowly, I slid the door to the bedroom, and took a quick intake of breath.

There, was Ichi, dressed in an electric blue and black kimono, laying on the floor, and remained unmoving. I rushed forward, checking for a pulse on instinct, and luckily there was one.

I looked back to see that Hatori and Ayame hadn't moved, but instead were standing there, eyes wide, looking past me, to the girl that lay underneath me.

Slowly, fearing what I was going to see, I too fixed my gaze on the girl.

Her eye had opened, and now she was looking at me. But something was off, way off. Her eye that was usually a deep evergreen with streaks of a lighter emerald was no longer colored that way. In fact, it wasn't colored at all. It was just white; everything was white, as if her eyes were rolled back into her head.

I began to back up in my crouched position, but a pale hand darted out from underneath the folds of the kimono and grabbed onto me.

"Hatori, what's wrong with her?" I asked in a shaking tone, and she pulled and scraped at my arm. I tried desperately to get away, but her nails just dug harder into my skin when I tensed to move.

Then, a pair of strong arms yanked me back, making me fall into the doctor, free from Ichi. "I don't know." Hatori answered, pulling me to my feet.

All three of us back up, until our backs rested against the bedroom wall, watching as the girl in front of us writhed on the floor, arms moving in uncontrolled motions. I fought the instinct to rush forward and comfort her.

Suddenly, she let loose a wail, so heart breaking and painful to hear, that could only make one wonder, how much pain would someone have to be in to scream like that?

Author's Note: Guess who's back? ME!

-Echo Salazar


	24. Chapter 24

_Suddenly, she let loose a wail, so heart breaking and painful to hear, that could only make one wonder, how much pain would someone have to be in to scream like that?_

_**Chapter Twenty-Four- Momiji's Pov**_

When she screamed, it felt like a knife had been stabbed deep into my heart, tearing at the precious organ as it turned, and then removed in an equally painful manner.

It was a scream of pure and utter fear, like the screech of a trapped animal, a hopeless sort of scream. It was the scream that was emitted even though you knew that no one would hear you, that no one would be able to help you, to save you from the evil that way chasing after you.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hatori flinch before he called to the girl. "Ichi, Ichi can you hear me?"

Her white eyes searched blindly, not landing on us, and she made no sign of having heard Hatori. She just continued to claw at the wall, as if to find something, anything, to grasp hold of.

But she found nothing, and she then settled on simply holding onto her arms, wrapping them securely around her body, rocking back and forth, as one would to calm a child.

Then, she began to speak. "Please, please don't; please don't let him hurt me again, please, please save me." She whispered, looking straight in front of her as she rocked, back and forth, back and forth.

This time, I tried. "Ichi, listen to us, we won't let him hurt you." I didn't know who "him" was, but it was obvious that he was the one causing Ichi this pain.

But she didn't respond and her tears only became heavier, as she began to rock faster and faster. Not able to stand it anymore, she leapt up, and punched at the wall, denting it.

"Don't touch me! Don't do anything to me again! I hate you!" She punched the wall again, before grabbing at her hair, and leaning against the object of her aggression.

Suddenly, her back contorted, bending backwards, then straightened, and jerked again. She fell to the floor, her back writhing still, her face contorted into pain. Her head jolted to the side, this way and that, as if it was being forcefully yanked in those directions.

"Do something Hatori!" I yelled, losing the last bit of calm I had managed to maintain.

"There isn't anything I can do Momiji, I don't know what's wrong with her."

I looked from her to the doctor, until my gaze finally settled on her. Without hesitating anymore, I rushed forward, and grabbed onto her.

Her body froze. Her white eye that had closed in pain, opened, and stared at me, stared into my eyes, right into my eyes.

And suddenly, the room around me faded to a strange and unfamiliar one.

It was small, painted a baby blue, with a black metal bed shoved into the corner, as well as a desk and a dresser that was shoved in the opposite one. It looked normal enough, perhaps a little too orderly, but still, it appeared in all sense neat.

Suddenly, the window I was standing next to squeaked open, and a black clad foot, followed by a leg clad in the same color, slid through the small space.

A younger Ichi brushed her dark pants off, and then closed the window. Everything about her was the same; except for one thing. Her hair was not only longer, but it was parted down the middle, a white cloud around her slender face. I looked at her, and gave a tentative wave. Even though she was looking right at me, she didn't register me. I looked behind me, to find a door, a door that was slowly creaking open.

Ichi sighed, and leaned up against the desk, obviously waiting for someone. The door opened, and as it did, the metal nob of the door handle went through my stomach. And I mean through my stomach. That was when I realized I wasn't here in a physical sense, but I was being shown something, I was an observer, from the outside.

"Where have you been you little bitch? Out whoring yourself it looks like." My eyes widened in shock.

A stout man, with beady black eyes sunken deep into his balding head was standing in the doorway. His meaty hands were clenched and his thin lips were drawn even tighter, making him look as he had none, expressed his irritation.

"No, as a matter of fact, I've been studying, in the library, for school. You know; that thing that you never bothered going too." Ichi smirked, noticeably trying to further agitate the man.

With a surprisingly quick movement that I myself didn't expect the large man to be able to perform, he lashed his hand out at Ichi, slapping her hard across her face.

"I've told you many times to not be smart with me." The man growled, as Ichi held her cheek, looking up at the man through a web of her white hair.

Ichi muttered something under her breath. "What was that?" The man glared down at her.

"I said, I'm only smart with you because you're so stupid, I have to balance things out." She snarled, earning herself another slap. I tried to step in, but I couldn't move, it felt like my feet were glued down to the grimy carpet.

His next strike was not to her face, but a swift jab to her stomach, making her fall down onto her knees. I couldn't see Ichi's face, she was hanging her head, and all I could see was her body shaking gently, trying to keep in tears. Or so I thought, for when she raised her head once again, I saw that she was doing the opposite. She was, laughing.

"You think you can beat me by hitting me? Well, you're wrong." She laughed, and that was when the man let loose the full force of his anger.

He punched her head, causing her to fall to the floor, leaving her stomach open and vulnerable to the many kicks that he continued to deliver. Each time his foot made contact with her ribs, I could hear a sickening crack.

Tears were slowly running down my cheeks, matching Ichi's own. Every time she tried to move, the man would kick her harder, crippling her again.

And he continued that, until she didn't move again. The only sign that the girl was still alive, as blood seeped through her white torn tank top, was the tears that dripped down her face.

Grinning nauseatingly, the man slowly withdrew three items from his pockets. The first item was a rope, which he quickly tied around Ichi's arms and legs, prohibiting her from moving.

As he took the second out, I felt my heart stop in fear. As he held it, the knife glinted in the bit of light that slipped through the broken plastic blinds that covered the window. Then, he knelt down, and began.

I closed my eyes. I couldn't bear to watch. But I could still hear everything. I could hear the cries of pain; I could hear the sound of the blade slicing into her skin.

It continued for what seemed like hours, but it was in reality more like a few minutes. But that was long enough. When I finally opened my eyes, there seemed to be nothing left of her white tank top or black pants; both were sliced so thinly and abundantly.

Blood poured off of her body, sinking into the carpet. Blood was splattered on the walls of the room, joining the other marks of blood. I wondered how I had been able to miss them, they seemed so profuse and they were so vibrantly red. I also had to wonder how I had missed the crimson stains that had sunk into the carpet from blood spilt long before.

Ichi's face was the only part of her body that had been spared of the knife wounds, that and her back, which was not exposed to the man that hovered over her, as if admiring his handy work.

I thought it was over, until I remembered the last item he had removed from his pocket.

"Now, don't scream, we wouldn't want your mommy to hear you would we? No, we don't want her to find out because then, I'll have to do the same to her. Now you would never tell, would you sweetheart?" He growled in a sickening sweet voice.

She nodded sluggishly, the movement slowed by pain. "Good. Now this will only hurt, a lot." He laughed.

I watched in terror as the most horrific scene of my life unfolded before my wide eyes. I watched in horror as someone that I cared about from the start of her time in the Sohma household, was hurt so badly. And then, I had to close my eyes.


	25. Chapter 25

_I watched in terror as the most horrific scene of my life unfolded before my wide eyes. I watched in horror as someone that I cared about from the start of her time in the Sohma household, was hurt so badly. And then, I had to close my eyes._

_**Chapter Twenty-Five- Momiji's Pov**_

When I opened my eyes once again, I expected to see anything but the blackness that engulfed me in its strangely comforting embrace. Perhaps this was because when I had finally mustered enough courage to finally lift my suddenly weighty eyelids, I had expected to return to the horrific scene that I had been subjected to, the memory imprinted into my mind forever now.

But instead, I was greeted simply by the neutral waves of the darkest midnight, the deepest and most secretive of shadows, the thickest layers of night that falls in a blanket like manner over a sleeping city.

And I could never be more relieved. I began to think, what if it had simply been a twisted, warped figment of the darkest part of my mind.

Or at least, that was what I was trying to cling onto, to keep me from falling into a pit of cruel insanity, until I heard a voice snake through the compact murky fog.

"Momiji, what are you doing here?" The voice whispered, recognition adding to the soothing caress of the dark.

I squinted into the ripples of dark, searching for something, anything that pointed to the origin of the lovely voice.

Suddenly, a glow appeared, a dot of light that spread, and spread, until it opened to its full potential of a golden pit of glowing rays of light, that pierced through the shadows, revealing a beautiful scene of a green meadow, beautiful trees bordering the flowery clearing, the vegetation soaking in the filtering sunlight.

And in the middle of that meadow, radiating just as much light as the sun itself; was Ichi.

She stood there, a frown on her pale face, her white hair slightly longer and less tamed than usual, and a long flowing white dress slowly flowing in the wind laced with the sweet smell of unseen fruit, growing from somewhere in the thicket.

"What, what's going on?" I managed to stutter out.

With a sigh, she rolled her eyes. "As if I would know, well, actually, I do. But still, I've been stuck here for who knows how long, watching what you just watched, having to relive my memories again and again, and yet you still just automatically ask me? You really are an idiot."

"But, you're in your bedroom, passed out on the ground. You've been having these nightmares," She sighed again, irritation showing.

"Okay, we'll start from the beginning. So, I fell, and my physical body lost all memories. I am a manifestation of myself before the accident, in other words, a manifestation of the actual memories. Because of this, I am forced to see the memories basically 24/7, and as I am still loosely linked to the body that you have been seeing down on earth, some memories slip through when she is most venerable, sleep. That's why she's been getting nightmares." Ichi stopped speaking with a glare thrown towards me. "I refer to my physical body as 'she' and not as 'I', for the simple reason that she is not me. Without my memories, I become simply a prototype of the human species, nothing making me individual, not even a personality. Memories make the person, Momiji, never forget that."

With that, Ichi sat down the soft grass, and closed her eyes, as if meditating. It was strange; to see someone that I knew was at war so often inside appear so calm on the outside, her white dress making everything even more serene.

Someone who didn't know Ichi Sohma as well as I did would have most certainly been fooled into the illusion of peacefulness that falsely resonated from her. However I could still feel the unrest, the unstable energy, that always has and still did seep from Ichi's skin, the storm that seemed to gather around her, ready to release all of its powerful thunderous roars and its dangerous flashes of lightning at any moment.

I watched her, for what seemed like hours, just trying to understand what she had said, trying to understand Ichi herself, even though he knew that the attempt was futile. "Ichi." I whispered.

She opened her eye.

"Why is it that you always wear your hair that way?" I asked.

As soon as the words slipped through, her face hardened to stone. "I don't think that's really any of your business, is it?"

But she wasn't going to win that easily. "No, I think it is. I think that I deserve to know just a little more about you, from your mouth, instead of having to see it through the past."

After a moment, her eyes widened, as she realized what I was implying.

"You saw, didn't you?" She questioned in a low voice.

I nodded.

Her tongue flicked between her lips nervously. "How did, only I can, that's not possible!" She ended angrily.

I shrugged. "Well, it happened, and now, I want to know."

Ichi looked away, and I almost felt guilty. I had just seen some of her past, her worst memories presumably, the things that caused her, to be what she is now as she had put it. That made sense, why wouldn't it? Something so horrible, so painful, was bound to leave both metal and physical scars. In this case, it took the form of coldness, of bitter words, of a seemingly unfeeling mask that Ichi wears so often. Too often in fact. This explained why, when her memories were lost, she transformed into a different person, a happier person, a person who didn't even have a mask to wear. Ichi was right about everything, except for one thing. She believed that without the memories, and the mask they create, she becomes nothing. But in fact, she becomes more than nothing, she becomes herself.

"Fine." Ichi looked back to me, a glower plastered across her fair face. "If you want so badly to pry into my past, my secrets, my memories, fine. Just remember, it's your fault, not mine, that you will see what you don't want to."

And with that, she lifted her hair out of her face. And I saw the secret she had been hiding for so long.

_**Important Author's Note: **_Hello all of my loyal readers,

I am sooooooo sorry that I haven't been giving regular updates. Not only did I just start a new school, but I was stuck in the hospital for two weeks recently. So I apologize again, and since I'm better now, I shall be giving more regular updates (not quite once a day yet, but close).


	26. Chapter 26

_And with that, she lifted her hair out of her face. And I saw the secret she had been hiding for so long._

_**Chapter Twenty-Six- Momiji's Pov**_

Crimson mixed with a lighter rose, a far from beautiful combination no matter how it may seem. The colors wisped up, like fire, hungry tongues reaching out, tasting the paleness that bordered it. The flames seemed to eat their way through it, leaving only a ruined trail to show where they had been, and only what they yearned to reach and destroy showing what had once existed.

I tried not to stare, I really did, but it was impossible, the forever burning flames of the scar did not let my pained eyes pull away. That scar, that I was sure only one person other than Ichi and myself had ever laid eyes upon, and that of course was none other than the man who caused it. It spread from the very base of her defined and delicate cheekbone, to where her eyebrow would grow if not for the obvious damage. On the sides, it spread from the junction that her slightly pointed nose grew out of, all the way over to her fire ravaged ear. It looked as if the skin had just about melted right off of her face, the uneven and rough looking skin was so different from the pale smoothness of the other side of her beautiful face.

All I could do was stare; no matter how much I tried not to, trying to absorb the shock into my brain, trying to make my thoughts calm.

"And now you know, Momiji Sohma. Now you know what I hide, now you see my true appearance, now you see how ruined I am, how mutilated and disgusting that bastard left me. You now understand and know everything about me, are you happy now?" Tears spilled out of Ichi's eyes, as if the fresh beads of water were running, trying in vain to calm the angry red fire of the even angrier scar. "You should be happy, you've won, and you've broken me. You have now discovered my past, something I was so desperately trying to hide so that I could maybe have a fresh start, a clean slate. But now I see that that's impossible, that I'll never find peace. My scar is always an ugly reminder of that."

Tears continued to flow down her cheeks, as she spoke, but her words didn't reach my mind anymore. I just watched her, the girl, the young woman, that I had come to know, that had become more than just someone I wanted to figure out because I was interested, but someone I wanted to get to know because I cared.

In reality, no, I was not happy; I was not pleased that I had finally gotten her to expose one of her deepest secrets, not because of any other reason except how much pain it caused her to show me.

That was what shocked me. Even though she didn't have to, and even if she was angry and sad, she was also something else, vulnerable. I had never seen Ichi in a vulnerable state before, even when she didn't have the heavy burden of her memories to weigh her down.

I wouldn't say that the emotions that I felt branched out from a stem of happiness, but something else, something deeper.

Slowly, I stepped forwards, as if I was approaching an injured animal, dangerous, unstable, but impossible not to reach out to. And without hesitation, without fear of reactions, I gently lifted my hand, and cradled Ichi's cold face, feeling her tears sink into my own skin, merging in my veins, as I felt the fear she felt, the sadness that had enveloped her.

Her lips had ceased to move as she realized my ears were unreceptive to her words, and she looked into my eyes, tears brimming her emerald eyes. I noticed with a small spark of happiness that she now had to look up to reach my eyes, no longer could she call me a runt.

"I could never think of you as disgusting or mutilated." I whispered to her. "You're beautiful, and nothing could ever change that, not even a scar."

And then, our lips connected. Her cold, sweet taste colliding with my own, like a spark of electricity, a small shock zapped between us.

To my delight, she didn't pull back, she didn't freeze. I gently draped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer to me, and after a mere moment, her delicately pale fingers danced over my sides.

When I kissed her, everything else faded into oblivion. It didn't matter where I was, the problems that had plagued my mind for so long simply faded into a peaceful wave. Everything fell into place, like it was simply meant to be this way, with her in my arms, and I in hers.

I had to wonder why it had taken so long for me to realize my real reason for perusing the hidden truth underneath the mask, was not because of curiosity, but a deeper emotion, a much deeper feeling, that blossomed in my heart instead of my mind.

And when I finally pulled back, there wasn't a smile, but something better than a smile. There was a light.

That light, something I had waited, wanted for so long, to see. A light of pure happiness, of peace, a golden glow that almost turned her eyes hazel.

And then, that smile finally appeared.

It was different than the smile, different from the sadistic smile that Ichi so often gave everyone before the accident, different from the confused and nervous smile that she gave so often after her memories were taken away from her.

But then I saw this smile, a smile that was true happiness, even with Ichi's memories still haunting her.

"Please, come back to the world, with me. I miss you, everyone does. I miss the Ichi that I came to know, not this Ichi who has forgotten not only her memories, but who she is. I beg of you, please, come back." I whispered into her ear, pulling her close against my chest.


	27. Chapter 27

"Please, come back to the world, with me. I miss you, everyone does. I miss the Ichi that I came to know, not this Ichi who has forgotten not only her memories, but who she is. I beg of you, please, come back." I whispered into her ear, pulling her close against my chest.

_**Chapter Twenty-Seven- Momiji's Pov**_

And suddenly, my eyes snapped open, only to meet the worried eyes that belonged to Hatori. "What did you do?" He asked.

I opened my mouth to ask what he meant, but then I realized something. The room, was silent, not eerily so, just, peaceful. I looked beside me and found Ichi laying there, her head tucked against my side, a small smile spread across her face.

She was alright, no longer thrashing about like she had been doing before I had been transported first to the land of her nightmares, and then to the land of my dreams. Slowly, I removed her gently from my side, before picking her up, cradling her in my arms for a mere moment before laying her down on her bed. Hatori or perhaps one of the others that were gathered around the room had re-organized the room from the previous chaos that had whirled around it.

I turned back to the others. "Ichi should be fine; I'll tell you all the story tomorrow. For now, let's get back to sleep." The group, obvious exhausted, took this as an acceptable deal, and retreated to their bedrooms. All, except for Hatori.

"Are you sure that she's alright?" I studied the tired looking doctor. I had almost forgotten that he was in fact the suffering girl's father. The pain that he must be going through, I could only begin to imagine, that it must be ten times the pain that I felt, and one hundred times more than the worry that the other Sohma's felt.

I nodded with a reassuring smile. "Yes, I promise, you can trust me on this. When she wakes up, she'll be fine. And I'll be there when she does."

Hatori returned my own smile with a tired looking one. "Very well then Momiji. Call me when she does."

And with that, he silently snuck away from the room, but I hardly noticed, I was too busy with watching the peaceful look that had overcome Ichi. I had never seen her so at peace, not in her sleep before. Usually, her sleep was the most tormented, with and without the memories. It would have been worrying, if it wasn't for the visit I had just had with her, and the assurance that I myself took away from that to know that she was alright.

I gently stroked her silky white hair, sweeping it back from both her eyes. Yes, the scar was still there, like an angry slash of red on a white canvas, but I didn't care. It didn't distort her beauty, it didn't affect where she stood in my eyes. She would always have that glow around her that existed only when I looked at her, no matter what.

A glow, which I saw now, but stronger than ever, much stronger in fact. Puzzled, I realized that it wasn't Ichi's usual glow, but something different, something much, brighter, coming from under the blankets which I had carefully tucked under her chin.

Cautiously, I peeled the covers back, to see the glow coming from Ichi's chest, as if her heart itself was shining through her skin.

Careful not to violate the sleeping girl's privacy, I folded her black and blue kimono back, only to gasp in shock.'

Curling on her skin, was a black tattoo, a dragon, the sharp lines outlining the elegant twists and twirls of its long body, the gaping and growling mouth, and the unsheathed claws that seemed to dig into Ichi's skin itself. And it was the source of the light.

All around the tattoo, surrounding it, echoing off from it, was a light blue glow, an electric blue glow, almost matching the electric blue lining of the delicate kimono Ichi herself was wearing. I stared at it, as if transfixed, as if hypnotized, by the glittering light that was shining out.

No, it wasn't shining out; I realized with a start, it was flowing in. I could see the glow, expanding out, as if from the dragon's mouth, like smoke, until it filtered and slithered into Ichi's skin, into her heart.

Slowly, I reached out to touch the dragon, to test if the claws would painfully grab my fingers, to feel if the mouth would burn them. But as soon as I neared, as if I had tripped an invisible alarm, the light flickered, and vanished, streaming like a gust of wind to be absorbed by Ichi's pale skin.

I drew my hand back in shock. As ideas, as possible explanations wove throughout my head, I stopped myself.

Ichi would tell me what it was if she wanted to. If she didn't, then I would respect her decision. I needed to let things go, I needed to accept that not everyone was going to pour out all their secrets to me. Ichi was one of those people, but that didn't mean that we wouldn't be less connected, less trusting of each other. Perhaps, we would be even more connected, because there would always be mysteries to solve, always keeping us interested, always keeping me on my feet.

And with that final thought, I drifted off to sleep, leaning against the wall beside her bed, waiting, until she would wake.

"Momiji?" I heard, from the depths of my dreamless sleep.

I let out a tired grumble.

"Get up!" I snapped awake, meeting the two eyes that belonged to none other than Ichi Sohma.


	28. Chapter 28

"_Get up!" I snapped awake, meeting the two eyes that belonged to none other than Ichi Sohma._

_**Chapter Twenty-Eight- Omniscient Pov**_

As soon as Ichi opened her eyes, she had a sudden onslaught of emotions, like nothing she had ever felt before. Fear, relief, recollection, regret, caution, happiness, whirled like a tornado in her mind, as she struggled to keep her thoughts grounded. She soon found that impossible.

She had revealed her darkest secret to Momiji, her scar, her blind eye, the thing that marred the once perfect pale canvas that was her once pretty face, the thing that served as a constant reminder of her pain and failure. She was terrified, he would hate her now, he would shun her; abandon her like so many others in her life, the ones that she hadn't run away from at least.

He would never be able to look past the damaged skin on her face; he would expose her secret to the rest of the Sohmas, who in turn would forever ban her from their home. She would be forced out onto the streets again, getting arrested until she was killed, or killed herself.

And then, she remembered something. She remembered the reason she was even here at all, in the real world once again. It was Momiji, the moment she had shared with him, the love that she realized she contained inside her once iced over heart that was reserved for him, and for him alone.

This realization was the thing she needed to break out from the whirling winds of emotions that had stormed in her mind. Now, there was peace, a serene calm, and happiness that she could not remember feeling ever before.

It was then, in her moment of quiet, that she became aware of an unusual presence in her room. Slowly, her actions laced with caution, she turned her tired head to the direction she felt that it originated. And she quickly found the source.

A jumble of loose blonde curls framed a once boyishly round face that had narrowed and become slender was leaning on the covers of Ichi's bed, long legs that had lengthened in surprisingly short amount of time splayed on the floor behind him. His blue eyes were closed peacefully in sleep.

Ichi stared at him, her green eyes widened in surprise. It hit her, in that moment, that Momiji wasn't going to leave her, wasn't going to abandon her like everyone else in her life, that the moment in the meadow meant something, that she didn't come back to bear the heavy weight of her memories for nothing.

She smiled, a sweet smile, a real smile, not the sadistic smile or sarcastic sneer that her face so regularly donned. Momiji, Momiji Sohma, was here, to stay by her side. Nothing could have made her happier at that moment.

Quickly, she snapped out of the cloud her head was in. She may be happy, but she was still Ichi Sohma.

"Momiji." Ichi said, in an attempt to rouse the slumbering boy.

Nothing, not a single movement.

"Get up!" She yelled, fake irritation slithering into her command.

The blonde snapped awake, startled by the sudden outburst, his mind still foggy with sleep. Ichi felt bad for a moment, but then allowed herself an amused smile.

"Sleep well?" She asked sarcastically, her heavy sarcasm replaced with a more playful air.

At last, Momiji's mind seemed to snap out of dreamland, and into the real one. "You're awake!"

"Obviously." She rolled her eyes.

The next few seconds passed in silence.

A smile came over Momiji's face, as he shook his hair out of his eyes so that he could clearly see the girl in front of him. Even with both her eyes uncovered, Momiji could only see the beauty that radiated from her skin.

Without a single hesitation, he pulled her close to him, placing his lips against hers. Her lips were sweeter and spicier than they had been in the strange meadow, softer than Momiji had thought to be possible.

Ichi was caught by surprise when Momiji pulled her against him, but as soon as her mind was able to catch up, she surrendered her ridged position, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her heart swelled, she felt as though it was going to burst with happiness, an entirely new feeling, a beautiful and much welcomed feeling.

When they were forced to break for air, Momiji kept his arms in place around Ichi's waist, as did she. They simply sat there, embracing, savoring the happiness, this pure blissful emotion that neither had ever been able to fully and utterly surrender to before, never had the chance at all. But now, safe in each other's arms, they could explore this new territory, this new land that they had yet to explore, the land of love, the land of hope, the land of bliss.

Ichi sat there, letting the warmth that radiated from Momiji to sink into her cold skin, to warm her once iced over heart. She let his scent that smelled suspiciously like assortments of sugary candies and ice cream, waft into her lungs, and out once more, as she rested her head on his shoulder. They stayed intertwined with each other for what seemed like mere minutes to them, but was many more.

Momiji was the first to pull back, a wide grin plastered across his face, returned with a soft smile. "We should go and tell the others that you're awake." He said.

Ichi sighed. "Alright, let me get dressed. I'll be right out." Momiji then went to wait in her living room, with a last glance at the girl he had grown to love.

She was quick to dress, relief washing over her that she could finally wear her comfortable black outfits instead of that bothersome white dress she had worn in the meadow.

Ichi decided on a black ripped shirt, with a white tank top underneath, accompanied by a black skirt, fishnets, and her signature black platform boots. She looked at her reflection, seeing her hair parted in the middle, both of her emerald eyes exposed to the eyes of any and all.

She reached up to whip her hair into its usual fashion, before she stopped, her hand hovering over her scar. Slowly, she allowed her long thin fingers to trace the raised and bumpy skin. If Momiji could accept it, that was all that mattered, what others thought simple became irrelevant.

And with that final thought, she abandoned her reflection and walked out of her room, reaching out to accept the hand that Momiji offered courteously. And with a exchanged smile, they set out.


	29. Chapter 29

_And with that final thought, she abandoned her reflection and walked out of her room, reaching out to accept the hand that Momiji offered courteously. And with an exchanged smile, they set out._

_**Chapter Twenty-Nine- Omniscient Pov**_

It had been a week since my memories had returned. Hatori had been more than happy to see his daughter back to her full health, embracing me tightly upon seeing me, Ayame and Shigure giving me cheery "welcome back" pats on the back, crowding me. And for once, I didn't feel the need to lash out, didn't feel the need to close up into myself. I felt, happy, comfortable, I had finally found peace within myself.

The days that followed were filled with happy greetings from the others that occupied the Sohma household, expressing how happy they were I had recovered. I wondered what my physical body had done while my mind was in the meadow. I would probably never know. But then again, I didn't much care. I was back, I was all right, and I was with the people who loved me, and that was all that mattered.

And now, I was sitting on my balcony, looking out at the beautiful garden. How I had never taken notice of this gorgeous place, even though it was directly outside my door, I couldn't understand. Perhaps it was because I was so consumed with anger, it prevented me from moving on completely, the chains that had been placed onto my mind and heart had kept me from living my life, even though I was now free from the horrors of my past.

I smiled; I was ready to let those things go now. I hadn't realized it at first, but this place, the Sohma household, is everything I've ever wanted, everything that I've always wished for. I had a family; I had someone who actually loved me, for me.

I heard some music, violin music, softly riding the gentle breeze to reach my sensitive ears. My smile grew; I knew that it was Momiji who was playing. Without hesitation, I got up, and walked down the hallway after passing through my room, my boots clunking against the wooden floors heavily. Today I had opted to wear a fluffy black tutu, black leggings, and a black and pink shirt. My sense of style had somehow shifted the more time I spent with cheerful Momiji. It hadn't shifted from its normal colors, I doubted that would ever change, but I was growing to identify it as more of a gothic Lolita style, which I wasn't opposed to, I just hadn't seen it coming.

"Momiji?" I called through the door.

The violin music halted. "Come on in!" Came the happy reply.

I entered, my eyes smiling along with my mouth. The blonde boy before me dropped the instrument on his bed, walking over to me, and giving me a gentle kiss. My boots allowed me to keep from having to get on my tip-toes to meet his lips, but I still had to stretch. I was impressed that it was actually possible for someone to grow so much in such a short time.

"How are you 'Chi-chan?" I glared at him slightly, but allowed the new nickname.

"Bored, entertain me." I smiled, hinting to him that I wasn't serious. In fact, I was just the opposite; I had never been happier, or more entertained than I was now.

Momiji grinned, deciding to play along. "And how might I rectify that?"

I reached up, pulling his lips down. "This works." I giggled as his lips gently moved up my neck and cheeks.

We settled onto the porch outside, my head resting against his chest, his arm gently draped over my waist. Laying in the sun, like a cat soaking up the warm rays, I never felt happier. My mind was at complete peace with itself, which was a relief. I had grown tired of the constant bickering the two did with each other. His steady heart beat thrummed against my ear, like a lullaby, assuring me that I was here, with him, that this wasn't part of my imagination.

His breathing rose and fell, like the waves of a calm ocean, rocking me back and forth only slightly, but still I felt as if I was a baby slowly swaying back in forth in a cradle.

A half hour later, I pulled out the sketchbook that I kept in his room just for lazy moments like this, and lay against his chest once again, this time in a sitting position, as I drew. I let my mind wander, not really caring what the pencil led crafted, just focusing on the way the sun bounced off of Momiji's blonde hair, how his eyes were peacefully closed, so vulnerable, yet I felt so safe with him.

When at last I looked down at the paper, I grinned. I had drawn what came naturally, and what the majority of the sketchbook was composed of. A dragon, with its long body curling around the page. But this time, something set this dragon apart from the others. A small rabbit sat happily on top of its head, so assured that the huge dragon wouldn't harm it that it had its eyes closed in sleep, simply dozing while perched on the dragon's skull. The dragon didn't seem to care; she simply joined the rabbit in sleep, as the rays of sunlight that drifted into her cove warmed the strange couple.


	30. Chapter 30

_When at last I looked down at the paper, I grinned. I had drawn what came naturally, and what the majority of the sketchbook was composed of. A dragon, with its long body curling around the page. But this time, something set this dragon apart from the others. A small rabbit sat happily on top of its head, so assured that the huge dragon wouldn't harm it that it had its eyes closed in sleep, simply dozing while perched on the dragon's skull. The dragon didn't seem to care; she simply joined the rabbit in sleep, as the rays of sunlight that drifted into her cove warmed the strange couple._

_**Chapter Thirty- Omniscient Pov**_

"Hello Hami." The white haired girl sat down in the dirt, her black clothes not showing the dust, talking to the headstone as if she expected it to talk back. But as most stones, it stayed silent, just as it always had.

She sighed, as if in disappointment that she hadn't gotten a reply, but continued. "It's been almost a year since I came to the Sohma house, and so much longer than that since you left me. I'm sorry I haven't visited sooner, I understand if you're angry with me. I've just been so busy, Hatori, Ayame, Momiji," Her voice trailed off when she mentioned Momiji. She smiled and her eyes unfocused from the white headstone in front of her.

"You would love him Hami. I wish you could meet him. He's really sweet, and he's always happy, just like you." Her long pale fingers reached out and touched the stone gently, tracing the engraved words. "But since you're not here, I'll love him for you as well."

A little white flower lay in front of the stone, yellow popping out from against the green grass, the white petals adding gentleness to the cold white of the tombstone.

"Do you remember when I would always come here crying Hami?" She whispered, laying her head against the stone, her hair flowing around her tearless, smiling face. "I'm sorry for that. I didn't realize before, but I really shouldn't have been crying over your grave, my mind filled only with the bad memories of what we suffered through. I should have been remembering the happy memories. I should have remembered the happiness that always radiated from you, spreading into me. I should have filled my head with the sweetness you brought into the world. Sure, that sweetness was removed from this earth far too early, but the fact that it was once there is comfort enough for me. And I should have thought about how you loved me, not a false love, not a forced love, just a natural, happy love, just like Momiji loves me now. I suppose that's who reminded me in the first place of the happy times that I have repressed for far too long."

A cherry blossom from the tree above the girl and the grave floated gently to the ground, joining the white petals of the daisy that already lay there. The white haired girl smiled. "I miss you Hami." She said. But despite the other times she had whispered this phrase to the white stone, no tears ran down her face and onto the ground. Instead, a simple, sweet smile graced her face.

"I really do. But you know, I think I've finally came to terms with the world. I used to believe that the world hated me, that someone or something was against me. I thought that if I just forgot; if I made everyone else just forget, if I closed myself off to the world around me so that it couldn't hurt me anymore, that somehow everything would be better. I was wrong, and I realize that now. Doing all of that just left me worse off than I was before."

She picked up the pink blossom, holding it as gently as she could between her fingers. "Finally, I've opened myself up to love, to happiness, to life."

She put the flower back down to join the other one. "And I've never been more content."

The white haired girl stayed there for a while, just sitting there in quiet peace, only a soft breeze disturbing the rest around her, her eyes closed peacefully, her black eyelashes gently brushing her cheeks. She just remembered, remembered the many times that Hami had hugged her with chubby toddler arms, how many times she had told the younger girl how much she loved her, the day she discovered her father, and the day she learned that Momiji loved her.

This was probably why she didn't hear the footsteps behind her.

"I thought you would be here." A male voice floated into her mind, cutting off her string of happy memories like a knife.

Her eyes shot open. For a moment she clung to the bit of hope that the person behind her could be Momiji. She hoped that his long warm arms would embrace her, pulling her back into his strong chest. But they didn't, for the soul reason that it wasn't him.

"What now you stupid bitch, not going to even respond to your own father?"

She recognized who the voice belonged to now. She wished that she hadn't, she wished that she didn't have to say that she wished she hadn't recognized it, for she truly wished that the portly man behind her wasn't behind her at all.

"Step-father." She whispered.

"What was that bitch? You're gonna have to speak up, or is your throat is too used up from being the slut you are."

Her eyes narrowed, and she quickly stood up, whirling around in anger. "You, are not, my father. My father's name is Hatori. You are not he. You, are a foolish bastard who has somehow managed to capture the heart of Kana Sohma."

A harsh blow landed on her cheek, leaving a dark red mark shaped in a handprint. "Well, looks like you can talk. And you still have that frisky attitude of yours that I just so adore." The man grinned at her sadistically.

He lashed out again, striking her in the stomach, causing her to crumple over painfully. She didn't have enough time to awaken her reflexes enough to lash back.

More blows were delivered, each as painful as the next, each delivered to different areas; the head, the stomach, the chest, even the girl's throat, until the girl finally closed her eyes, sinking into the world of unconsciousness.

The man grinned, just as he had before, and then began to drag her towards the road. Nobody was around to see her.


	31. Chapter 31

_The man grinned, just as he had before, and then began to drag her towards the road. Nobody was around to see her._

_**Chapter Thirty-One- Ichi's Pov**_

My eyes fluttered open. But that didn't make a difference; it was dark, completely dark. Not even a sliver of light shone through.

I tried to lift my arm, an attempt to use the rough stone walls of the corner I was crammed into to lift myself up, and perhaps find a light switch, or a door. But as soon as I did so, a stabbing pain spread through my body, raking down every nerve connection that I had. I gritted my teeth in pain, before I slumped back against the cold stone walls, which caused yet another wave of agony.

I could feel a cool slickness covering a lot of my shirt and some of my hair near the back of my head, blood. As slowly as I could, as to not hurt myself again, I lifted my thin fingers, trying to find the wound that was the source of the blood. But I soon found that to touch my head and chest were inaccessible to my touch, the pain made it so.

Suddenly, I heard a click from the wall opposite me, and then a sliver of light pierced my eyes, spreading in a blinding wave of synthetic light. I winced, and quickly closed my eyes as the door was pushed even further open. I heard heavy footsteps, made by a middle-aged, heavy set, and greasy haired man, as they echoed across the cold and grimy tile floor, coming to a halt dangerously close to me.

"You may be wondering, somewhere in your defective and damaged mind, why I have tile on the floor."

"Actually, I w" I was interrupted before I could deny anything.

"Let me tell you." I could now feel his sticky breath clinging to my bruised and battered cheeks. "It makes it easier to clean up your blood."

I shivered a mix of disgust caused by the man next to me, and a mix of dread from his words.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, squinting into the light from the now lit light bulb on the ceiling, the metal door that had once been open now sealed tightly, leaving no chance of escape, at least not for me. For him, it was easy, he undoubtedly had a key. If I could find it, if I could just have it so that I could escape him, then I could go back to Momiji, I could leave this world behind.

A painful snap of leather quickly made my mind sink back into the cold grasp of reality. It seemed that my stepfather had somehow managed to come across a long, leather whip, which he now held in his hand, recovering from the swing he had just performed. Well, wasn't that just wonderful? Oh, and look, it seems there were even more weapons piled in the opposite corner of where I was. Isn't that just dandy?

I glared up at him, but was simply met with a sadistic grin.

"I see you're showing your ugly half of your face, or at least, your uglier half. You know when I first laid eyes upon you; I didn't even know that your face could get uglier. But look, it did!" That was followed by a sharp hit from the whip. And another, and another.

I clenched my jaw tightly, trying to forget his words, and the pain. But I couldn't. "Well, everyone's entitled to their own opinions." I finally managed to choke out between hits.

He paused, only for a moment, looking sadistically gleeful. "Well, looks like someone has finally wised up, glad yo" I cut him off.

"And therefore I have the right to tell you how fucking stupid and ridiculous I find yours to be." I smiled through my pain. I could only imagine how foolish I looked, a strained attempt of a victorious smile plastered across my bloodied and bruised face, trying to seem as though I was stronger than him, despite the wounds that now decorated my skin, the cuts that showed through now ripped and bloodied clothing. But that didn't really matter; I could soon tell that the flimsiness of my smile was the last thing on his mind.

He threw away his whip, replacing it with handcuffs. Soon, the shackles that were already around my ankles weren't the only thing that held my limbs back, prohibiting any movement.

"Lucky for you I don't care about ugliness. I mean, I married your mother." With that, his hands began to travel all over my body. I tried to imagine that the hands were Momiji's, but it wasn't possible. I couldn't replace the sickening breath on my cheek, on my neck, with the soft warm breath that Momiji would breathe into our embraces. I couldn't replace the bruising grip that wrapped around my waist with the gentle touches that Momiji would give me. I couldn't replace the stomach churning kisses that he was slobbering on me forcefully with the loving kisses that Momiji would always give me.

My clothes rip, my skin becomes bare. "Just like old times." I hear him say. And he's right.

"Now, before we continue this, I just wanted to ask you something about our ever so lovely Kana."

I looked up at him. I knew what was coming; I had heard it many times before. "So, why would Kana suddenly not remember a disgrace such as yourself who came out of her own womb? And why would I be the only one to remember your horrifying face?" It never ceased to surprise me how he always somehow managed to gather the few insignificant but somehow still operating brain cells that he had left in order to form the semi-observant question.

Normally, I would've just ignored him, or told him to go to hell. But this time, I was done with that. I just wanted this to end. Forever.

"Because, stepfather, I need you to remember. You see, while I don't particularly like Kana Sohma, I don't want her to have to bare the same weight that you will have to."

He looked at me, obvious that he believed he was humoring me. "And just what weight would that be?"

I grinned. "What, you think that all you have done to me will just go unpunished?"

He chuckled, shaking his head, making the fat clinging to his neck jiggle. "How adorably naive, you still think the police can help you. You would think that after being brought back to me by them so many times, you would learn your lesson, but apparently not."

Obviously he thought that would crush my spirits, because he was dismayed by the smile that I still had plastered on my mangled face.

"Oh, I don't mind stepfather, I can wait. Eventually, even if it's not in life, your memories will weigh you down, and you will be punished."

His confident face fell, and he pulled away from me. Even though he quickly recovered the mask it didn't have the same effect. He wasn't fooling anyone anymore. Not even himself. How sad. Still, he tried. "Ha, you think God will punish me? You're wrong, don't you think if he had any interest in helping you, he would've already?"

And just then, my smile spread so wide that I couldn't help the laughter that spilled out. I must've looked like a maniac, sitting there, covered in my own blood, my clothes on the floor in ruins, my eyes wild, laughing and smiling like everything was alright. In a way, I suppose it was.

I managed to lift my hand, and move my finger, beckoning the overweight man who was watching me with a false appearance of confidence. I pulled his sweaty and nervous face down to me, and placed my lips right by his ear. "Who's talking about God?" I whispered to the man.


	32. Chapter 32

_I managed to lift my hand, and move my finger, beckoning the overweight man who was watching me with a false appearance of confidence. I pulled his sweaty and nervous face down to me, and placed my lips right by his ear. "Who's talking about God?" I whispered to the man._

_**Chapter Thirty-Two- Momiji's Pov**_

I remember when I was first told that she was gone. I couldn't believe it. I refused to do so. And I still did so. Unfortunately, as the days went by, the evidence that was piling up became too much for my own beliefs to stand up against.

"We'll find her, don't worry Momiji." Ayame placed a comforting arm on my shoulder. I hardly noticed it. I didn't notice anything except for the pain that was punching through my chest, and dug its sharp needle-like teeth into the soft and vulnerable flesh of my heart.

As the weeks went by, Hatori and I just sitting in his office while staring at the garden blankly, not really seeing the garden, but just needing an excuse to stare mindlessly at something while our minds drifted off in and out of a fog of denial that she was actually gone, she never appeared back in my arms. If I had been conscious enough to actually take in the facts that were piling up along with evidence of her disappearance, perhaps I would've joined Ayame and the others in their search. But I didn't. I was too much of a coward to face the world outside of the fantasy one I had suddenly sunk into.

A hand appeared on my shoulder, like they had been doing for the past three weeks. "Momiji, Hatori, perhaps you should go and get some sleep. You may feel better afterwards." Shigure's voice tried to break through the wall that I had built to filter out the world. It wasn't strong enough to do so enough to withdraw a reaction from either of us.

He sighed. "I had hoped I wouldn't have to do this, but alright then."

I didn't feel the needle that pierced my skin, I didn't see the garden go black, I didn't feel myself falling backwards as my muscles failed to keep me upright, I only saw the girl in white that gradually began to take shape in front of me as the world disappeared.

_Before you ask, no, it wasn't Ichi. But it was someone both Ichi and I knew._

_The small girl looked at me, her blonde hair curling down her back, a white dress flowing out around her from unfelt and unheard winds. Her pale skin glowed along with her pale clothes in the empty darkness that surrounded us both._

"_Hello Momiji!" She smiled widely, happily._

"_Where is Ichi?" I didn't have the patience to ask the first person I had acknowledged since Ichi's disappearance where I myself was. It didn't matter anyways; I already had a good idea. I knew this place, all too well._

"_She just sort of pops in and out of here." The girl, Hami I remember her being called by Ichi, said._

_Automatically, my eyes began to search, for any trace of her, but my hopefulness was quickly crushed. "She's not here right now." Hami walked closer to me. It was strange to see the young girl walking on what seemed to be a manifestation of pure shadows._

"_I need you to help her."_

_For the first time, I noticed the tears that were shining in the well-spoken little girl's eyes. And it was then, that it finally struck me, Ichi was not alright._

"_What happened to her?" I asked, hesitation lacing my voice, for in all honesty, I didn't want to hear the answer._

_Hami sighed. "First, I think you need to understand a few more things about, her past."_

_Suddenly, our surroundings changed into the meadow that I remembered so well, where I first saw Hami and Ichi, and then where I myself reunited with the white haired girl. Her thin, small fingers wrapped around my wrist, pulling me towards a fallen tree trunk. I could only wish that those fingers were Ichi's instead._

"_Kana waited until Ichi was thirteen to remarry, to my father. From the beginning, Ichi hated her stepfather, and hated Kana for marrying him. I suppose her hatred towards her mother lessened when I was born, not to sound conceited or anything." She took a deep breath, as if recalling her own painful memories. "However, Ichi and her stepfather never got along, and that turned into the abuse that you saw. It started out small, if you could call it that, a slap, a trip, but grew into punches, kicks, Ichi would start bleeding, she would be bruised everywhere. Kana never noticed anything, or if she did, she couldn't bring herself to do anything about it. Maybe it was fear, maybe it was a lack of concern, or perhaps it was that she didn't really understand what was happening. I was the only one who was there for her, for my sister. But soon enough, he took me from her as well." Hami looked up at me, tears now streaming freely down her face. "My own father killed me, just to cause Ichi even more pain."_

_She took another deep inhale, as I sat in stunned silence. "After that, Ichi wasn't the same. She had nothing else anchoring her to the mortal world. She figured if she could just get the police to see what my father had done, then she would be free to join me." Hami looked down at her hands. "They never believed her. Eventually, she tried running away, trying to find anyone else who would see her stepfather's crime. But she kept being dragged back. After a year of this, on the anniversary of my death, was when Ichi caused Kana to forget her."_

_I looked up from my feet. "Ichi caused Kana to forget her? How? Why?"_

_Hami gave a small, strained smile. "I think you know how. You've experienced the dragon's power firsthand. While Ichi may not be the actual dragon of the zodiac, she inherited many of the traits. And as for why," She drifted off, thinking. "Well, I don't really know. I think it was because, she didn't want to drag Kana down into this, all of this." She gestured to herself and the meadow. "Kana was suffering enough from what she thought to be an accidental death of her second child, I think that was all that Ichi needed to know that deep down, Kana did care, even if she was blind to what was in front of her. So, Ichi just made Kana forget, about me, about her."_

"_What about her stepfather?" I questioned._

_Hami shook her head sadly. "She didn't erase his memory." Before I could interrupt her to ask why, she continued. "As to why, that I can give you a definite answer. She wanted to have him remember, so that one day, she could bring him to justice. Unfortunately, it was this that brought about this mess that we're in now."_

"_What do you mean?"_

_Her teary eyes met mine, and she continued her story. "Just because she let her stepfather remember her for her own benefit, doesn't mean that the battle was one-sided. It got to a point that she wasn't running away to police all over Japan for the soul reason that she was seeking justice, but that she just wanted to get away from him. Some way or another, he always found her. Either the police would bring her back to his front door, or he would chase after her. That is, until Hatori took her in."_

_She rubbed at her cheeks, erasing tears until they fell again. "She thought she had finally lost him, or at least, she did when she discovered the love that you held for her and the love that she held for you in return."_

_And then, her voice lowered into a whisper. "But she didn't. When she was visiting me, at my grave, he got her."_


	33. Chapter 33

_And then, her voice lowered into a whisper. "But she didn't. When she was visiting me, at my grave, he got her."_

_**Chapter Thirty-Three- Omniscient Pov**_

When the young rabbit awoke in his warm, yet somehow cold bed, he knew where his beloved Ichi was, thanks to Hami. But there wasn't much that he could do in the meantime, as a hurried Hatori piled the other helping zodiacs into the car, and sped off towards the disclosed mountainous location. He knew that it would take them at least a day, maybe two, to get to where Ichi was being held, and that was if they sped. Momiji could only hope that Ichi would be able to escape to the world of dreams, of memories, of ghosts, to find comfort with Hami, until he managed to reach her.

* * *

><p>Of course, Ichi's stepfather did not share that particular point of view.<p>

"Wake up you bitch, I have more uses for you when you're awake than I do with you when you are asleep." The man kicked her bare stomach harshly with his booted foot.

There wasn't a crack, as there usually was. Ichi had a feeling this was because she didn't have much more rib to break. But as for the blood that pooled in her mouth, that sprayed out when she coughed, that seemed to be endless.

Despite the pain, despite the liquid that had begun to fill her mouth yet again even after she had just spit out the crimson liquid what seemed to be mere seconds ago, she managed to speak. "I highly doubt that." It seemed that although her body had been broken, mutilated, bloodied, scarred, cut, violated, her fighting sprit had remained untouched.

The man snarled, and reached out, yanking her violently up into a sitting position, causing her to scream in pain in spite of herself.

"Just keep those screams coming." He whispered into her ear, his breath smelling of alcohol. She shrunk away from the horrible smell, her sensitive sense of smell reeling at the overwhelming mixture of sake and blood.

"You know what they do to me." He sneered.

She heard the distinct zipping sound of a zipper being pulled down, a sound she had grown used to during the weeks she had spent, and she squeezed her eyes shut even tighter than she had before.

* * *

><p>"Can we go any faster?" Momiji asked Hatori, his leg tapping nervously. He looked outside the window, the plants blurring in a way that would've meant speed on any other day, but instead simply represented their slowness since he could still see them.<p>

The doctor sighed as he looked at the dashboard. "Momiji, if I go any faster,"

But that was all Momiji needed to hear. "Go faster, I don't care about the consequences, just get me to Ichi!"

The vehicle responded, as Hatori lowered the gas pedal even more.

He felt a hand on my shoulder. Instead of it being Ayame or Shigure like it usually was, it was Hatsuharu.

"Listen Momiji, Hatori is doing all he can, just like all of us and you are. Don't you think he wants to get his daughter back?"

It hadn't even occurred to Momiji how panicked Hatori must be. His exterior was calm, collected, cold, just as it always was. But he could feel this sense of turmoil, seeping out from underneath the black haired man's ridged outer layer.

"I'm sorry Hatori." Momiji hung his head, looking down at his hands, wringing them in his lap fitfully.

Hatori just nodded. "I know."

* * *

><p>He had abandoned his previous activities, and still naked he sought out that knife that he so adored. He had gotten it on a hunting trip so long ago; the blade was slightly rusted from baring the elements over the years, and walked over to the girl sprawled out on the floor like a discarded doll, her blood like stuffing pouring out of broken seams.<p>

"What an ugly tattoo." He muttered to the girl, running the blade down the dragon lightly. "It's perfectly suited for such an ugly girl as you are." He smirked as beads of blood bubbled up from the path the knife had taken.

"At least your hair looks better." The girl's white hair was now dyed crimson with the blood that was seeping out of the many wounds on her head. "I can now look at you without throwing up." Her stepfather said, chuckling to himself as he did so.

"I wish I could return your compliment." As soon as she said that, the knife dug deep into her hip. But Ichi didn't regret it. She just grinned.

With a scraping sound, she realized that the blade must've hit her hipbone. But she felt very little pain.

Ichi recognized this, this numbness. She had gotten it before, when she lay broken in the ditch. As the world faded, so did she, as her blood spilled onto the rocky bottom of the river, her life force was swept out along with it.

Her soul was slowly leaving. She knew this. Her mortality was rearing its ugly head, her life was panicking at the sight and running off down the drearily darkened path, that would not save it but in fact lead to its end.

"What, no screaming? You disappoint me, and you know what happens when you disappoint me."

The knife was drawn back out, but not before being twisted around inside the fresh wound. Slash after slash was made in a very calculated way across her stomach, letters, forming the word "whore", "slut" and "bitch" soon joining it.

Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, making her stomach turn, instead of the pain doing so. Momiji, he wouldn't want her now.

No, of course he would, he loved her, right? She tried so desperately to convince herself that he did, but as more words were carved, with the more things that man did to her, she couldn't force reason to float to the surface of her jumbled and drowning mind.

She was ruined, destroyed, and filthy, no one would want her. She didn't even want herself.

All of the sudden, she was glad that she was dying. If it had to be at the hand of her stepfather, so be it. She just wanted this, all of this, to end. If not to end her own agony, then at least to prevent it from infecting Momiji.

* * *

><p>Momiji's leg tapped, and no longer able to contain his anxiety, he let the tears that had begun to well in his eyes slip down his cheeks. He didn't even have enough strength to wipe them away.<p> 


	34. Chapter 34

_Momiji's leg tapped, and no longer able to contain his anxiety, he let the tears that had begun to well in his eyes slip down his cheeks. He didn't even have enough strength to wipe them away._

_**Chapter Thirty-Four- Momiji's Pov**_

Hatori's eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. I was sure that mine looked no better. It had been a long day and night, and then another half day, of just staring straight ahead of us at the road, anxiety acting like caffeine in our bodies. All the others had passed out in the back of the elongated car, with Shigure cuddled into Ayame's lap happily. Under other circumstances I would've made sure I took a picture, and would've taken great joy out of doing so. But the only thing I could think about was how close we were to the coordinates; the small blue dot that was us on the GPS was steadily nearing the red dot that was our destination.

We were passing through a heavily forested area of the Japanese mountains. We had lost sight of the signature signs of civilization long ago, no longer did houses line the roadside, nor was there anything to suggest there had once been any living being that passed through this mountain road except for the single set of car tracks that we were following. I was certain that they belonged to Ichi's stepfather, and even more sure did I become when we took the very same turn that the tracks did, leaving us in front of a tall and broken down house, the car tracks ending with a rickety Toyota with a chipped blue paint job.

I glanced at Hatori, and then at the GPS. We had arrived.

As we came to a halt the others woke up, so used to the constant thrum of the motor and the bumps in the road that once that ceased they were jolted from their sleep.

"Everyone get out." Hatori said, before he led the way, jumping out of the car.

I was second, following close behind the doctor. I paid no attention to who was behind me; I was too focused on the black door that led into the house, still slightly ajar. If there was any doubt that someone was inside the house, the door and the car made an all too compelling case to argue against. Or at least, that was all I had needed to cause me to start to run, Hatori joining in, bursting through the door.

The inside was dark, and you could still smell the musty scent that came with the inside area not being disturbed for a while, even though the entryway had been aired out due to the door being open. I saw cobwebs decorating neglected corners, spiders watching the new additions to their home as they waited for the unlucky bugs that had wandered in through the opened door to wander into their sticky webs.

"Where would they be?" Kagura questioned, as we reached a dead end in the dusty kitchen.

Shigure glanced around at the dishes still piled high in the sink, unwashed and gathering both dust and mold, no doubt remembering the state of his own kitchen before Toru had joined them. "If this is anything like the crime movies that I've watched, they'll be either in the basement or the attic."

I saw Hatori roll his eyes. "Even though that sentence has many problems within it, you could be right. Kagura, Ritsu, Ayame, and Rin, you all go and check the attic. The rest of you, come with me to the basement."

After a minute of searching and opening rickety and hole plagued doors, we managed to find the rickety and hole plagued door that led down rickety and hole plagued stairs, and down into a grimy and dust clogged basement. If it wasn't for the one lonely and flickering light bulb that clung to the spider and web infested ceiling, we would have been completely overcome with the darkness. There were no windows that were perched at the top of the wall, peering out of the earth like a burrowing rodent, like there were in the Sohma house basement. There was only darkness.

I glanced at the people with me; Shigure, Hatori, and Haru, they all seemed just as nervous as I was. Not of the basement of course, but of the implications that the basement could give. There were two main possibilities. Either Ichi was indeed in the basement, or she wasn't. If the case was the later, then that would be more time wasted before we could get to her. If it wasn't, then that meant we would have to deal with an injured, no doubt badly, Ichi. Either option was not optimal, and sadly realistic.

Our pace had slowed, as to lower our chance of being detected early on, if we still had a chance to not be after the racket we had caused upstairs.

I couldn't decide whether it was a disappointment or a blessing that the basement didn't hold Ichi or anyone else. It was a normal abandoned basement, boxes piled up high against the walls, mouse droppings covering the floor, and pieces of dead flies left over from the spiders' feasts. There was nothing unusual, nothing that could put Ichi here.

"Alright, the attic it is then." Hatori sighed. We turned, and began to walk up the creaking stairs.

Except for Shigure. "Hey, guys, I found something."

I froze on the fourth step. I didn't want to look back, I could tell from the certain dread that seemed to drip from his voice that whatever Shigure had found wasn't good.

Hatori turned, and after summoning enough courage, I did as well.

Haru was peering over Shigure's shoulder, peering down at the floor.

A trail of crimson twisted through the groves in the cement floor of the basement, lightening in its color because of the loose pieces of gray stone that filtered into the liquid, but it was still unmistakable. It was blood, not very much, but enough to follow the path that someone had taken, or in this case, had been dragged down, as the drag marks still marred the dusty surface of the floor, only disrupted by the footprints that too walked along the path of blood.

Only problem, the footprints and blood ended at the wall, or really, went through the wall.

"A trap door?" Hatori questioned.

"Maybe this is like your movies." Haru muttered to Shigure.

Shigure grinned. "If that is so, then the trigger will be somewhere in reach, and it will be something sneaky, a candle, a book, a, a" He paused to look around. There wasn't much, a couple boxes, a rusty spoon laying on the floor accompanied by a matching fork, shards of pottery no doubt from a plate dropped along with the utensils, the drawstring to the soul light bulb in the basement, and the skeleton of what appeared to be a mouse. "Maybe a fork?" He picked it up, but got no reaction except a sudden puff of dust that floated off the silver utensil.

"Wait, didn't we turn the light on with the switch at the _top _of the stairs?" Haru pointed out.

He was right. I myself had fumbled around in the darkness at the top of the stairs, feeling the grimy wall next to me until I located the small switch. I was pretty sure I had gotten bitten by a surprised and grumpy spider that I had disturbed in the process of doing so.

The answer was obvious, and all of us came to the same conclusion. "Light string." We said simultaneously.

Sure enough, as soon as Hatori reached up and pulled on the string, the wall shifted, and a door opened to a long hallway.

"That was impressive." I said. The others nodded in agreement.

Remembering our objective, we took off down the tunnel, to the door at the end where we could see a sliver of light seeping out of the bottom. Someone was there.


	35. Chapter 35

_Remembering our objective, we took off down the tunnel, to the door at the end where we could see a sliver of light seeping out of the bottom. Someone was there._

_**Chapter Thirty-Five- Omniscient Pov**_

Slowly, Momiji pushed the door open, and as he did so, the dark hallway in which he and his companions were standing in was flooded by a flickering electric light and the distinct rusty scent of blood. The senses were flooded, smell with the horrible smell that had been trapped inside the room for so long, hearing with the labored shallow breaths of the injured girl and the heavy damp breaths of the man, sight overwhelmed by the state of what was being sent from the eyes to the mind, and touch being chilled by the feel of slick tiles underneath their feet.

The man who was already inside the small, repulsive room didn't notice them, as his mind and gaze was fixated on the now unconscious girl beneath him, who looked as if she was melting into the floor itself, leaving a vicious red scar on the white and grey floor.

He wasn't alone, the new arrivals to the room were also fixated on the girl, but for a much different reason than the stepfather. In fact, it would be correct and safe to bet that it was the very exact reason that Haru, Momiji, Hatori, and Shigure were staring, horrified, was the exact reason that the step-father was so pleased, delighted instead of disgusted and shocked by his handy-work.

They would've moved slowly, their minds not able to comprehend so much at once, except that their instinctual will and need to assist Ichi as soon as possible overrode all other effects that the shock had on their system. They were practically shells of people as their forms moved across the floor, leaving behind frozen memories of their minds behind them. Their minds would catch up in time, they were sure.

As Hatori's dress shoes clicked on the smooth hard surface, the fat and sweaty man looked up from his newest conquest. "Who the hell"

His voice was cut off as Momiji got to him first, his converse sneakers slipping slightly in the crimson liquid that had blossomed like a ghoulish rose as he lunged for the man.

"You bastard, what did you do to her?" He screamed, his usually happy voice ricocheting off the tight corners of the cement walls, echoing painfully in everyone's ears as their minds slowly began to shift their gears, and work once more. His small hands soon found themselves wrapped around the man's flabby neck, as he pressed down.

The man looked like a toy as his eyes began to bulge, and he gasped, clawing at the hands that held him. But his gasps and failed attempts to form words in order to plead for his pathetic, and quite useless life, fell onto deaf ears. Momiji the rabbit was seeing red, it would be ironic under other circumstances, and if the only ox in the room was in his white personality, which Haru was really very far from being in or even near.

"Momiji let him go." Hatori's hard voice cut through the fog of scarlet that had flooded all of Momiji's senses, including his touch as his hands were now covered in blood as they had somehow managed to come into contact with the floor before the neck.

Momiji looked behind him in disbelief, but did as the doctor said in pure habit. Even in the face of danger and rage, Momiji still trusted the doctor, especially since he was Ichi's father, and stood to lose just as much, if not more, than Momiji himself or the others.

Hatori knelt, careful to keep his black pants out of the pool of blood, as he studied the face of the man before him, a sight that quite remarkably resembled a gasping fish.

"Tha-thank you sir, th-thank you." The stepfather reached out a hand to grasp Hatori's white doctor's jacket.

Hatori patted his hand that bared a resemblance to a mitten with Twinkies attached to it. "Of course," He then removed his hand, before giving a slight smile. "I couldn't let Momiji put you into a state of unconsciousness just yet; I must fit in my own fun before that occurs."

The calm, reserved, and collected doctor's fist then proceeded to come in painfully harsh but well deserved contact with the step-father's fish-like face.

Hatori then stood, as the man below him gripped his face and let out a groan of pain, and cracked his knuckles. With a well placed kick from his black leather shoe, Hatori then turned back to Momiji and the others.

"All yours."

And the others certainly took advantage of that.

Within mere seconds, Haru had already pounced, tearing viciously at the man's face, and lashing out at the rest of his body.

Shigure danced around the man, delivering the occasional punch or kick, but wisely staying out of the charging ox's way until it was his turn.

Momiji however, had managed to bypass his violent feelings towards the man, for the moment at least, to turn his attention to the wounded Ichi who was still unconscious and bleeding, as did Hatori.

With a nod at one another, Hatori quickly yelled orders for Shigure to get the stretcher and blanket kept in the trunk of the car, leaving Haru to his current occupation.

Momiji sunk down to the bloody floor, and gently stroked the pale cheek of his Ichi. He knew that she couldn't feel it, so it wasn't as much for her as it was for him, to reassure him that he could still feel the blood, though as little as it might have been, pulsing underneath her flesh, that he could still feel the faint heartbeat that weakly pounded in her chest.

Soon, the other Sohma's who had gone to investigate the attic arrived in the basement room, and experienced much of the same that the others before them had. Kagura of course charged head first to join Haru, and surprisingly enough Ritsu managed some weak hits, helped along by Rin. Ayame hurried over to Momiji and Hatori, wrapping an arm around his black haired friend to comfort the doctor.

As Ichi was carefully lifted onto the stretcher, Momiji whispered into her ear, before she was loaded into the car.

"I love you Ichi, please come back to me." The little rabbit said, again mostly to himself, desperately hoping that it would work once again like it had when she had been broken from her fall in the rocky riverbed.

And Ichi heard him. If she could've she would've said those three words back to him, opened her eyes to see his beautiful face again, but she was too far gone, and she knew that. So she didn't even try.


	36. Chapter 36

_And Ichi heard him. If she could've she would've said those three words back to him, opened her eyes to see his beautiful face again, but she was too far gone, and she knew that. So she didn't even try._

_**Chapter Thirty-Six- Momiji's Pov**_

The trees sped past our car in a blur of various greens, as the lights of the city began to shine through them.

But unlike the last time I had passed them, going the other way, I wasn't staring emptily out the window. Nobody was.

"We need more bandages, now!" I had my hand pressed firmly down on Ichi's injured chest, Haru was applying pressure to her leg wounds, and everyone else was doing the same for the various other injuries.

Since we only had room for one stretcher, and enough time for one person, we didn't bother taking the man with us. It wasn't a hard decision either. Someone would be by later to retrieve him; either to retrieve his breathing body for us to inflict further abuse on, or to make sure that his pulse was no longer beating. In the case of the latter, they would be instructed to leave his body there to rot, maybe for a raccoon to nibble on. But then I fear for the animal's risk of getting diabetes.

I looked at Ichi's face.

She had opened her eyes for an instant when Hatori had attempted to create a makeshift suture from a needle and thread, to make do until they could get back to his office. Her eyes had only opened in an instant, at the same time her mouth opened in a wordless scream, as a needle was plunged into the surrounding skin of her wounds, and an attempt to clean them out was made. The eyes soon rolled back into her head, and she ceased to move. The pain had been too much for her to endure. And there was no reason for her to suffer anymore than she already had. I only hoped that her unconsciousness would provide comfort.

With her eyes rolled back into her head, with the whites of her eyes stained with burst blood vessels, she looked dead.

I forced myself to look away before I broke down entirely. I had to stay strong, if just for the car ride, I had to make sure that Ichi got to help.

Hatori worked busily over her, constantly in movement, checking on the pressure being applied, cleaning this, stitching that, and yelling at Shigure to drive faster.

Of course, Shigure had no problem doing so, in fact I think he would've been having the best day of his life if it wasn't for the fact that Ichi was slowly fading away.

_She's dying_.

No, she can't be. This is Ichi, she's survived her stepfather's abuse before, she's survived her own suicide attempt, she even allowed her memories to return to her body, even if she was happier where she had been, just to be with me. She will return this time, won't she?

_Maybe you've asked too much of her this time. She's beat death so many times already, maybe he's finally caught up to her. _That little voice in my head kept nagging me.

But this is Ichi, I argued back.

_Even Ichi has her limits. She's only human._

She's a Sohma.

_She's not a zodiac though. Besides, how would turning her into a seahorse help anything._

Shut up.

The voice was silent.

I looked down at her chest, where I could still see the distinct bold shape of that dragon tattoo she had, even though it was covered in blood and had a line of exposed and brutalized skin running down the middle.

Maybe if it started glowing like it had before, she would come back.

I stared hopefully at it, as if I thought if I looked at it enough, it would give into my glare and light up. But it refused, remaining just as motionless as Ichi herself.

I honestly wish I could say that I thought she was going to be alright.

I wish she would jump up right now, looking as grumpy as ever, and ask us what the hell we did with her clothes.

I wish that her eyes would focus on my, and she would smile, and that smile would draw my own life force into her, giving her just enough fuel to hold on, for just a little longer, so she could be with me once again.

I wish I could just wake up to find this was all a bad dream, and that she was lying in bed next to me, sleeping peacefully, burrowing into my warmth in her sleep.

I wish that she wasn't dying. But she was.


	37. Chapter 37

_I wish that she wasn't dying. But she was._

_**Chapter Thirty-Seven- Omniscient Pov**_

They were all gathered, in a sea of black, the waves of darkness only broken by the little spot of white they encircled. A cherry blossom floated down to the newly disturbed soil, as if nature itself felt the shift, and was grieving along with the others. Even the birds had stopped chirping once they had heard the deep voice of the priest, seemingly pausing the world, as the solemn words were being spoken.

The doctor, Hatori Sohma, was standing rigidly tall; trying to compensate for how broken he was inside.

He knew he shouldn't, people die, it's what they do. He of all people, a doctor, should know how to accept this. But he couldn't, and soon, his outer image crumbled along with the rest of him, as his shoulders slumped heavily.

Momiji watched the broken doctor on the right of him, before turning once again to stare at the headstone directly in front of him.

Really, there were two, resting beside one another, planted firmly in the green grass, marking the bodies that were buried six feet underneath.

The first one, Momiji regarded with a feeling of fondness. It was Hami's grave, the person that had allowed Momiji to find Ichi in the first place. She was the one who allowed him to hold her in his arms, allowed him to be by her side while she was dying. Hami was the one who prevented Ichi from killing herself before Momiji even had a chance to meet her, for it was the need for revenge that Ichi had gotten from her sister's death that fueled her life for as long as it had. Hami, the sweet little girl, who had kept Ichi company when she had taken her memories and retreated into the other world, a power possible because of her dragon heritage, a power projected through that dragon tattoo on her chest. Hami, the girl who gave not just Ichi, but Momiji as well, hope.

The second one, Momiji could hardly look at, for the simple reason that it was just too possible that the words carved into the headstone could've been _Ichi Sohma_ instead of _Kana Sohma._

"Let's go Hatori." The rabbit placed a gentle hand on the back of the doctor. He watched the older man wipe a tear from his eye, before nodding in agreement.

I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. My bed felt empty, cold, I could hardly force myself to get in it, in fact for the first few weeks, I didn't. But Hatori had ordered me, for my health, to do so.

But I still got no sleep.

I picked up my violin, and started slowly strumming the strings, the bittersweet sound washing over my ears like a rush of warm water, soothing my anxious mind with memories that I had accumulated over the years I had played it.

I felt like I had played for mere minutes, but when a knock came at my door, I found that I had played the night away. Oh well, the dark circles under my eyes weren't anything new.

I sighed, setting the instrument down, and headed to answer the door. My tired eyes met the tired eyes of Hatori. But unlike mine, his had a small gleam of hope in them.

"She's waking u"

I didn't wait for him to finish the rest of his sentence before dashing down the hall.

I arrived panting at the door to his office, bursting inside. I found I wasn't the only one who had been anxious to arrive. Haru and Shigure were already there, waiting by the white cot where Ichi was laying.

It had been three weeks since she had been brought back to the house, and two weeks since her mother's funeral. Kana's body had been found by an elderly neighbor, she had been stabbed to death, no doubt by her husband's hand. Hatori had been torn apart, his daughter on the edge of death, and his love murdered. Momiji had done what he could to help him, but he couldn't quite recover, even when Ichi began to look better.

I went over to the bedside, the two men there moving aside to let me through.

Ichi didn't look healthy, not by a long shot, her skin was pale, her bandages showed blood that was still leaking through, and her eyes, well, her eyes had received one too many injures. Hatori was sure that when, or if as he had said then, she woke up, that she would be blind. Due to the damage that had been inflicted and untreated in her early life, she was already partially blind in both eyes, and her most recent run in with her stepfather had resulted in a knife puncturing her eyes, making them unfixable.

That meant that she would never be able to look at Momiji with that loving look he had become accustomed to. But that didn't matter, just as long as she was better soon.

Hatori stepped through the door at the exact moment that her eyes fluttered.

He strode to her side. "Ichi, can you hear my voice?"

Her throat seemed to contract, as if she was trying to speak.

"Ichi?" I whispered.

"What the hell happened to my clothes?"

I smiled.


	38. Chapter 38

"_What the hell happened to my clothes?"_

_I smiled._

_**Chapter Thirty-Eight- Ichi's Pov**_

I held Momiji's soft, warm hand in mine, and leather covered metal in the other.

Really, I didn't mind being blind. It wasn't really a problem. I was used to limited eyesight already. And hey, I had really seen all of the world that I needed to see beforehand. However cheesy it may sound, I saw all the world I needed to when I saw Momiji.

And, I found it was true what they say, your other senses really did get better when you were blind.

For example, I knew by smell and touch that we were in the garden. I heard the gurgle of the small stream to the right.

I felt Momiji's arm loop around my waist, and pull me down onto his lap.

"Left turn, right turn, sideways." Shigure yelled at me. "Back, forward, left turn, another left"

He shut up when I flipped him off, smiling to myself. I felt Momiji squeeze my hand. I was sure he was smiling with me.

"You won't let Shigure get me lost, will you Ryu?" I reached down by my side and gently ran my free hand through the black and white fur, or so I have heard, of the dog who was sitting beneath me.

I felt Momiji's nose nuzzle my neck, pushing away my long white hair. "Don't forget about me."

"Eh, all you can do is hold onto my hand, while I hope you don't accidentally lead me into a pole. Ryu has a harness."

"I can get a harness if it makes you happy."

I heard Shigure wolf whistle.

"I think that could be arranged." I nestled into his chest, and he enveloped me in his warmth.

"Oho!"

"Shigure, get the hell out of here!"

"Fine, fine." He muttered, and I heard the gate close.

I gripped the back of his neck, and gently touched our lips together.

"I'll never get tired of that." He sighed into my ear as we pulled away.

I grinned. "Good. You're stuck with me."

He kissed my cheek. "Someone's feeling a bit cheesy today."

I groaned. "I know, and I hate myself for it."

"And I love you for it."

"Should I be expecting a marriage proposal soon?"

Momiji laughed. "I don't think I'm ready for such a commitment."

"Really now? Not that my bank account won't be grateful, but still, we've done so much planning already," I heard Hatori's voice from behind us.

Now it was my turn to laugh.

I turned into Momiji's chest, and closed my eyes tightly, focusing on breath, not only my own, but on the two people who are dearest to me, my father, and my fiancé.


End file.
